


Heat of the Moment

by EdgeHedgeShads



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Sexual Situations, Consent, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Gay, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, How Do I Tag, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Not What It Looks Like, Oral Sex, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Pseudo-History, Pseudoscience, Rough Sex, Sex, Slow Romance, Sonic - Freeform, Sonic Adventure, Surprise Sex, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:26:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 42,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdgeHedgeShads/pseuds/EdgeHedgeShads
Summary: Circumstances push Sonic and Shadow into close proximity in the Heat, and something unexpected happens. PWP; 1950's strict sex ed vs 2000's liberal sex ed, Shadow has feelings and Sonic tries to help. (Shit's getting real and steamy in here.)
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 158
Kudos: 351





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted (finally) from ff.net  
> This is gay. If you don't like, don't read.  
> Anyway, this is my first one here.  
> So enjoy.

**_HEAT (Mobian, all species)_ **

_synonyms: Spring Burn; Season; Musk; Rutt_

_A duration of four to six weeks of increased fertility, sexual desire, attraction and sexual acts amongst all species of the Mobian population. Slight variations in duration of (Heat) exist between [species], but all begin within the first two weeks of Spring, lasting an average of four weeks per individual._

_Amongst all Mobians, females of all species are the most directly affected; increased hormone production associated with ovulation and fertility cause a myriad of secondary characteristics, including but not limited to: sexual desire; unintentional promiscuity; sexually dominant behaviour and roaming behaviour._

_In modern society, it's common practice for males and females to separate into single gender (as defined by sex organs) 'nests' to avoid unintentional reproduction. Quite often, these nests will be fully stocked with resources and those affected will not leave unless they are forced to._

_In female nests, a Matriarch beyond (Heat)'s effects will manage resources and venture out if necessary. In male nests, any individual may leave, as the effects are more easily moderated. (See:_ **_Heat Cycles_ ** _)_

* * *

**DAY 1**

**_[13:56]_ **

Shadow pauses in his research, an ear turned to the rest of the house. All is quiet, as it had been the prior three times he'd thought he'd heard something, and he sets his book aside with a sigh to massage between his eyes.

With Rouge going on about the impending Heat since Winter Solstice, finding peace in their shared home had been near impossible. He'd cursed Towers' bright idea - perhaps a torture technique, if recent months were anything to go by - for them to live together at least five times a day for most of that, an active note to punch the human in the jaw after the Heat ended stuck inside his head with a consiousness pin.

Every time he'd managed to find quiet, she'd appeared within the hour to rummage for something she wanted to send to Vanilla's in advance, should it 'sneak up on her like four years ago'. 

It must've been a traumatic event, because she still refused to go into detail about it, even when inebriated, when he tongue moved faster than her brain. Then again, Shadow had been hesitant to ask, in case it _kept_ her talking when all he wanted was peace.

Regardless, the dreaded Heat was apparently upon them, because Rouge had hurriedly filled a bag with clothes and make-up, gave him a peck him on the cheek that lasted just a _hint_ longer than usual, then darted out the door for Vanilla's house like her life depended on it.

Silence filled the cavernous spaces in their home, the open-plan miniature mansion both their paychecks covered filled with furniture Rouge picked and Shadow had agreed on. Footsteps still echoed in rooms he deemed fully furnished, Rouge bugging him to look through catalogues until he forcefully insisted she stop.

Except now, she's gone, has been for five hours and seventeen minutes, and already the house feels… cold.

With a sigh he stands, leaving the book behind as he heads for the kitchen and his other dear friend - the coffee maker. A present from the Commander when they moved in, the once immaculate machine is clean but very well used, the glass of the bean holder and pot below permanently stained an opaque grey-brown from a year of constant use.

He's filling the bean holder with fresh coffee when he hears something that makes him pause. Even though he recognises the sound he stays frozen in the kitchen, head half-turned to the front door as his ear pivots fully to listen. Silence follows, peaceful and quiet, and he's almost certain he needs a therapist when the sound comes again. 

Seven hard, rapid knocks. Insistent and a little desperate. _Someone at the door?_

As far as he's aware, every female he knows is holed up in Vanilla's house with a freezer full of ice cream and a mountain of tissue boxes, while every _male_ is on Angel Island, filling Knuckles' spare rooms to the brim and likely driving him to distraction. 

More curious than anything, he returns the now full been holder to its housing, starts off a fresh pot, then heads for the front door. The knocks come harder and faster as he reaches the hallway, passing by the black leather sofa he ordered without asking Rouge, and opens the heavy oak door with a twist of the knob.

Azure quills come into view almost immediately, and Shadow feels a small rush of irritation that nearly has him shut the door and walk away. All that has him open it wider instead, after a brief pause, is his curiosity. "What do you want?"

The tentative smile on Sonic's muzzle falters only slightly. "Nice to see you too, Shads."

"Rouge isn't here," the ebony adds, assuming he's here to see his more sociable housemate, and begins to close the door. It judders to a stop when it hits the red and white sneaker jammed between it and the frame, though. 

With a growl, Shadow hauls the door wide open to yell at his younger counterpart only to find him looking oddly apologetic for his behaviour, his hands raised defensively between them.

"Chill a sec, okay?" The phrase doesn't make Shadow any calmer. He can feel a muscle in his forehead twinging, his muzzle curling into a scowl as he folds his arms over his chest, waiting for Sonic to continue. "I need a favour..."

Shadow snorts. "No," he answers bluntly, and has the door halfway closed between them by the time Sonic speaks again.

"C'mon, Shads! We're pals, right?" The ebony doesn't manage to keep his amused exhale to himself, and Sonic's quills sag dejectedly. "Okay, maybe not pals. Uh… Rivals!" His quills perk back up hopefully, along with his ears and tail. "We're rivals! You said it yourself once before, remember? Won't you at least hear me out?"

Seconds pass by while Shadow stares at him, just Sonic being, well… Sonic. With his cheeky grin and nauseating optimism, it's almost a reflex to slam the door in his face, extinguishing a little bit of the sheer _positivity_ the cerulean exuded that Shadow's never managed to feel himself.

But the voices of those he trusted echo in his mind; Rouge reminding him to invite guests in and offer them a drink, and Maria exclaiming how wonderful it would be when he made friends of his own species on Earth one day. With their words swimming around his brain he sighs and opens the door just enough for the hedgehog to squeeze through. "In."

A grin cracks the other's muzzle and he slides through the gap, pausing just beyond the door frame and whistling softly as Shadow pushes it closed. "Nice digs," Sonic states, ears twitching as his words come back slightly warped in echo. "A little empty, maybe, but-"

"We're having coffee," the ebony informs him, interrupting the monologue about furniture Rouge has given him a hundred times as he strides towards the kitchen.

Sonic seems a little taken aback but recovers quickly, jogging at a leisurely pace to catch up. "No sugar. Touch of milk?" Shadow grunts in acknowledgement and he seems content to go back to surveying the home. 

The ebony doesn't bother to wait for him when he pauses in the casual sitting room to study the sixty inch television on the wall, aware of his return when he steps belatedly into the breakfast room while still looking back at the sitting area. "How many of you _live here_? This place must cost a fortune…"

"Rouge and myself," he replies, pushing a mug of coffee across the breakfast bar. Sonic looks dubious and takes a seat, pulling the coffee close and breathing in the scent of roasted beans. Shadow watches him sip it tentatively, already half-way through his first cup of this pot, and waits for him to swallow before asking again: "What do you want, Faker?"

Cringing at his mug's contents, Sonic sets it down before offering a nervous smile. "You know how all the guys go to Angel Island during the Heat? Well, Knux only has so many rooms, and normally, we fill 'em up and everything's cool, right? Thing is, with Silver still being here and me _a little_ fashionably late to the party…"

"Silver got your room." Sonic's nervous smile hikes up a notch and he scratches behind an ear in embarrassment. Then everything falls into place a moment later and Shadow narrows his eyes, enough to freeze the blue hedgehog mid scratch. "And you want to stay here."

"Please?" There's a desperation in the azure's tone Shadow hasn't ever heard before, one that rang through the persistent, rapid knocks on his door and now oozes from the hero's body language; his ears low, quills submissive and irises dilated. "I've got nowhere else to go…"

Internally, Maria reminds him to be kind to those in need, while Rouge lectures him about being courteous to friends, something Shadow is sure translates to rivals. In addition, the cold feeling that plagued him in the library floods back, chilling his bones and reminding him Rouge is going to be gone for at least four weeks, and he barely lasted a few hours without questioning his sanity. 

A month of silence and solitude, weeks he'd welcomed before realising it could be so lonely, looms overhead. With the prospect of kicking Sonic out on his tail for a month equal parts amusing and nauseating, Shadow's resolve stalls.

He finds himself conceding to the younger hedgehog before he can rationalise himself out of it, offering the spare room no one's ever used, clean linens from Rouge's stash of bedding, even a _towel_ for the shower, though it all comes with a side of disinterest before he excuses himself to stare at his reflection in a mirror and ask _why_ _on Mobius_ he agreed to let the most annoying hedgehog in history stay in his house for a month.

_What's the worst that could happen, Grumpy?_

Rouge's teasing voice replies, a flicker of her sly smile drifting through his mind. He has to refrain from embedding his fist the mirror, closing his eyes and taking a stabilising breath, forcing his heart rate back down to a sane level before glancing back to the stern expression mirrored in his reflection.

"I could kill him," he replies nonchalantly. The idea is no more outlandish than the dozen times the prospect popped into his head in previous months, only now seems more likely to occur.

Sonic is notoriously good at winding him up without trying, a combination of his natural character and seeming ignorance of Shadow's desire not to socialise. When he came in small portions - an accidental meet on a mission or a run-in at the coffee shop - he was tolerable, but for an entire month, under his feet in his own home?

Shadow isn't sure he'll survive.

Even as these thoughts cycle through his mind, they're countered with the emotions Rouge has been fostering in him. The azure needed help, and as much as he _hated_ to admit it, Shadow would be saddened should something happen to the irritating spikeball. This was a chance to do something nice, an act of friendship without the associated awkward thank-you's and promises to reciprocate.

"What's the worst that can happen," he repeats in a whisper, a mantra rather than a question as he steels himself for the next month. His reflection has no answers either, staring back at him with even less certainty than he feels before he turns away away with a soft sigh.

"Four weeks," Shadow mutters as he prepares to shower. Staying his hand seems preferable to a month on his own. _Marginally._ "Just don't kill him for four weeks."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steaminess is starting already. Hold on to your socks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just reread this for errors and now I might need to write more.

**_CYCLE, HEAT (Mobian, all species, F)_ **

_Female Mobians are arguably the most strongly affected by (Heat), hormonal imbalances causing a variety of uncharacteristic behaviours in even the most demure from an average of eleven years of age._

_Younger females are less affected, their cycles shorter and more easily modulated. It is hypothesised that this is "practice", as a woman in labour might experience Braxton Hicks or "practice labour" when she is due to give birth._

_Every year, the intensity of a juvenile's (Heat) will increase on the previous year(s), peaking and maintaining an optimum intensity at around seventeen until the approximate age of forty-five. From here, the intensity will once again decrease until no urges are felt, at which point she is considered infertile._

_The yearly cycle has a pronounced, weekly progression observed in females of all species:_

  * **_Week 1: a slow increase in sexual desire, masturbation and interest in the opposite sex, peaking at ovulation (Day 7)_**


  * Weeks 2 & 3: maintained arousal modulated through masturbation, sexual acts with either gender and Marking (See: Marks, Heat Mates) accompanied by loss of inhibitions, prowling behaviour and (rarely) indecent exposure whilst engaging in sex (See: Legislation)
  * Week 4: a slow decrease in symptoms (See: Burn Out (f)) until equilibrium is restored.



_Note that if fertilisation is achieved during the cycle, a Burn Out will occur early, signifying the female is no longer fertile and causing her Mate to Burn Out earlier. (See:_ **_Burn Out (m)_ ** _)_

* * *

**DAY 2**

**_[00:13; Shadow's Room]_ **

Despite not explicitly _needing_ to sleep it's a practice Shadow partakes in whenever he feels rundown, and an evening of obnoxiously loud hedgehog is enough to see him hit the pillow when Sonic goes to bed just after midnight.

Except he's tossing and turning, too hot with the sheets and too cold without them, finally wearing out the expensive mattress Rouge insisted he get despite sleeping less than three hours a night. His mind won't shut down, his legs feel twitchy, like they need to move, and there's a warmth in his groin and abdomen that hasn't bothered him since-

Crimson orbs open slowly, his expression one of tired realisation. _Since_ _last Season. Wonderful._

He tries to ignore it, to think of things that'll will his desires away, but it's as if acknowledging the sensations made them stronger; the warmth becomes an ache, then a throb, and his mind keeps wandering away from mental images of Eggman in a tiny swimsuit to the things he's actively trying to avoid.

While these intimate thoughts thankfully _aren't_ Eggman in a speedo, they _do_ involve indescript Mobians of a variety of species in equally tiny swimsuits, and though no one he knows has ever appeared in string bikinis or skimpy one-pieces it still brings an embarrassed blush to his cheeks that shines through his tan muzzle.

 _Is this normal?_ Did other Mobians imagine the same, embarrassing things? Did they feel just as weak for surrendering to their whims during the Heat?

A bare hand wanders down his torso, fingers cool against the heat of his groin. A murmured groan in pure anticipation passes his lips as they ghost down his abdomen before taking his fully erect girth in his palm and squeezing firmly, a gasp of pleasure at the pressure and the fire emanating from his thick rod.

Desperate for release, Shadow pumps himself hard and fast, gritting his teeth with his face pressed into a pillow to muffle the grunts and moans he can't keep silent. His azure rival sleeps in the next room, unaware of what Shadow is doing, but the excitement burning in his gut fuels his arousal to a painful hardness.

_"Idle hands do the devil's work,"_

The elderly scientist repeated that phrase many times over the years. Gerald's interpretation of the 'devil's work' had been broad, but Shadow soon realised it pertained to every act society in the 1950's deemed inappropriate; masturbation, homosexuality, promiscuity (especially if you _were_ homosexual), and a host of other taboos he never bothered to internalise.

But after a few years the Heat grew unbearable, his creator's advice to "call on his inner resolve" or "pray for strength" falling short of the mark. As a Mobian his drive was much too strong, and eventually Shadow was forced to seek help from a young scientist who mostly kept his lenient opinions and sexuality to himself.

The man had been too shy to delve into detail, but the key points came across; it could get messy, and Gerald would strongly disapprove, but if he kept his self-treatment quiet and out of sight he could manage the urges in a hands-on, supposedly healthy manner.

Shadow didn't quite understand why is creator would disapprove if it was healthy, but desperate for relief from the heated pain and embarrassed by the organ's inappropriate need to free itself of its sheath during tests, he was willing to try anything.

Soon afterwards, Shadow brought himself to orgasm in a storage closet, and promptly fell asleep for three hours. Having missed an exam and no one sure of his whereabouts, a massive search of the entire space colony ensued, halting at least a dozen research tasks in their tracks for the better part of an afternoon.

The hybrid was scolded when they found him in a shower pod. His roaming privileges revoked, food rations returned to grey mush and visits from the children restricted for an entire week, Shadow made sure he never went awol after a de-stress again, not wanting to deal with harsher consequences for "letting the devil in".

He'd been saddened when the young scientist was laid off, even with his parting gift; he'd stashed his Mobian porn magazines in a dusty corner of deep storage for Shadow to pour over when needed, a little extra assistance if he had "a lot pent up", whatever that meant.

Shadow was grateful for it, though. Almost sixty years later, he could recall those images with great accuracy, letting them flow whenever a Heat got too much to weather. Unless damaged during the ARK incident, they're probably still there, well used yet preserved by the sterile air. 

He squeezes his eyes shut and draws on these now; a Mobian woman sat with her legs wide open, flustered and presenting her dripping folds, begging to be penetrated. Another female straddles a chair, breasts squashed beneath the rungs of the backrest as she angles her ass up, tail raised to reveal her moistening cunt and tight pucker…

Not for the first time, his mind wanders to the few Mobian males he has in memory; a nimble mink with bushy tail raised high, cheeks flushed and ear tips burning as cum leaks out of his tailhole. A thin rabbit male sandwiched between two larger Mobians, a tear escaping his eye as he arches his back into the strong, ambiguous figure behind, both dicks stuffed up his ass...

"Haah…" 

Curling in on himself, Shadow's right hand keeps pumping furiously while he scrambles about the bedside table behind him with his left. Finding the tissues, he yanks a handful free of the dispenser and cups them loosely around the head of his penis, so close to climax his whole body trembles.

Strong thighs quiver, hips twitch and thrust of their own accord, begging for orgasm even as he creates around his girth with his thumb and pinkie. Pinning the tissue around his shaft he thrusts hard and fast, hips jerking erratically, repeatedly penetrating the makeshift cumhole.

Tissue rips and flexes beneath him but still he pumps his dick inside, pressing his muzzle into a pillow to muffle his grunts of ecstasy.

A new image brings his first familiar Mobian fantasy; Sonic pinned to his dark sheets, fighting his hold yet entirely willing to receive as Shadow presses his rock-hard member deep inside the cerulean, taking whatever purity he still held in a flourish of fast, deep thrusts. His rival moaning and squirming beneath him, the azure's own erection slapping his stomach with every move...

_Hnnn, Sonic…_

He's just the other side of the wall, the thrill of his close proximity sending a pleasurable tightness through his balls. He might still be awake, listening to the _fap_ of his dick coating itself in precum and the moans he's been unable to silence. _Maybe even pleasuring himself..._

Pushed over the edge by his own imagination Shadow presses his face into a pillow, maw open in a silent scream as his thrusts lose rhythm in ecstasy. His whole body quivers, riding out each wave of pleasure to its fullest as ream after ream of salty cum shoots from his slit, soaking the tissue basket inside and out with his thick, sticky seed.

Encased in a serene, contented exhaustion and finally tired, Shadow has just enough sense left to give the tip of his aching member a cautionary wipe before hurling the crumpled, sodden tissue into the wastebasket of report drafts and used paper cups nearby.

All his energy depleted, Shadow collapses onto the mattress immediately afterwards. There's a brief consideration of covering himself, but he's too tired to fight the darkness and, still warmed by the afterglow, the edge of his vision darkens before he falls willingly into a deep sleep.

oOoOo

**_[00:13; Guest Room]_ **

Sonic hears _everything._

He'd been a few minutes from falling asleep when the noises started, little gasps of air and the tiniest groans. For a moment the azure was worried Shadow might be sick, but even without the memory of the other's resistance to illness, this hypothesis is cast aside as soon as a husky moan whispers through the wall.

Taken by surprise, Sonic freezes in place, an ear turned to the wall to clarify what he's hearing. Only seconds pass before there's a gasp for air coupled with an exclamation of pleasure that has his ear tips burning as red as Knuckles' pelt.

 _He's masturbating_ , the hero realises a little late, shifting as quietly as he can to press an ear to the wall, ungloved fingertips holding his weight. Of course, he knows _everone_ masterbates. Angel Island was little more than somewhere for everyone to eat meals before retiring to their rooms and dealing with urges in solitude.

The ebony's whines, and the _schlick_ of his wet member being pumped much too rapidly to enjoy the sensations continue through the wall. Even with that and his rapid breaths, Sonic still can't quite picture his romantically-stunted rival even being affected by the Heat, let alone becoming aroused enough to touch himself.

" _Haah…_ "

Sonic's cheeks join his ears, radiating heat through his pale muzzle at the _need_ in that single sound. The striped hybrid has never seemed more vulnerable than surrendering to the pleasure Sonic assumed he'd always ignored, and doing so knowing his rival was in the house as well...

The azure freezes again as Shadow's whimpers turn into grunts and gasps, a scrabbling sound alongside his increase in volume and frequency a sure sign of impending climax. Sonic isn't waiting for him to finish, though, but dealing with the realisation Shadow set this room up for him, even made the bed with fresh linen.

_He knows I'm right next door._

One last gasp and all goes quiet, except for the rapid _fap fap fap_ of Shadow's now soaking penis draining itself. Seconds drag by in weighted silence until he can hear his ebony rival taking deep, ragged breaths in the wake of his climax.

The air dissipates quickly; there's a shifting of sheets and the damp _thunk_ of wet tissue hitting a bin, then nothingness returns. Only the slow, steady breathing of the sleeping hedgehog one room over. Sonic's own heavy breaths penetrate the stillness as tingles run from his crotch down his thighs, the head of his length peeping from his sheath in arousal.

_Arousal?_

That's an unexpected result for the azure. He'd assumed he'd be mortified hearing his rival jack off, the threat of imminent death if Shadow ever found out he listened hanging over his head. The Heat might be messing with his sex drive a bit, but how on Chaos' good green Mobius does that translate to finding his former enemy desirable?

It's only when he tries to swallow Sonic realises his mouth is dry, and there's a slight shake in his excessively warm body. _I'm thinking too hard_ , he assures himself, careful not to disturb Shadow - or let him know he was being spied on - by lying down and getting comfortable quietly. _It's the Heat. Sex is sexy, not Shadow himself. It'll pass._

Laying there with half a boner, Sonic buries his head under the blankets and wills the Heat to be over already, before he says something he might regret being repeated to any other living Mobian, but especially Shadow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That awkward... "talk".

**_CYCLE, HEAT (Mobian, all species, M)_ **

_ While females are the most strongly affected by (Heat), males do exhibit numerous and distinct behaviours both in direct response to female pheromones and while isolated. _

_ Unlike females, male Mobians are fertile from a much earlier age (the youngest on record a seven year old hedgehog male, though the validity of this claim is questionable) but only become aroused by pheromones on the advent of adolescence, approximately thirteen years of age. _

_ While virility seems directly influenced by female pheromones, unsolicited sexual arousal during the (Heat) becomes a constant issue around the second or third Heat Cycle. Many males will take to wearing clothing or not going out to avoid embarrassment from sudden onset. _

_ In addition, male mobians will often take a male partner ( _ **_See: Heat Mates_ ** _ ) to weather the month, both parties consenting to a role-fluid relationship that simulates a Mating Pair. _

_ Note: During Burn Out, while females become less sexually receptive, males become distinctly more aroused and aggressive, often leading to Heat Mate relationships breaking down before the Heat concludes for the participants' safety. _

* * *

**DAY 2**

**_[16:37; Kitchenette]_ **

The house is silent except for the gentle bubble of pasta and the sizzle of meat and sauce in a pan, Shadow standing over them with a blank frown as he lightly stirs the meat mixture. Steam spouts of the covered saucepan in a steady stream, moistening the ebony's face fur and clinging to his chest fluff in droplets, though he either doesn't notice or doesn't care.

Nor does he acknowledge the azure sat at the breakfast bar regarding him with a mixture of disbelief and confusion, his chin rested in a palm while his other hand raps near-silently on the wooden veneer of the counter.

The ebon isn't making sense, no matter how Sonic looks at the situation. Given how acute his own hearing became during arousal, Sonic can only assume Shadow heard him shift to listen, as well as his increase in breathing while pressed to the wall.

As such, when he dragged himself out of bed at eleven this morning, Sonic had expectations. They varied wildly, from being thrown out by the scruff of the neck to being pressed against the nearest wall by a riled hybrid, but he expected  _ something _ ,not what Shadow had offered so far.

Which was a big, fat  _ nada _ .

Everything except the hedgehog himself suggests he  _ wanted _ to be heard, but Shadow hasn't broached the subject. In fact, they've spent the day in silence, Sonic playing video games, Shadow reading his reference books in an armchair consuming more coffee than could be beneficial for anyone.

Sonic's struggling to understand what's expected of him. Should he drop it and deal with the Heat the same way, listening through a wall while taking care of his own problems? Should he bring up Heat Mates instead and hope he doesn't end up on the front porch with a broken nose?

Shadow's radiating mixed signals, he's a raisin cookie who's midnight demonstration screams chocolate chips, while his demeanour suggests he's not a cookie at all but a flapjack in disguise.

Unable to keep quiet any longer, he takes a deep breath and lays both forearms on the cool countertop, clearing his throat to draw Shadow's attention. "So. We gunna address the pink elephant in the room, or dance around it for the next four weeks?"

Shadow frowns, his brows knitting together as he does a vague scan of the kitchenette. "There is no elephant in my house, Faker."

Emerald eyes close for just a moment as gloved fingers cluster on his forehead. "It's a metaphor, Shads." He lowers his arm to regard the ebony hedgehog tiredly. "It means there's a really  _ obvious _ topic we should discuss, right? Because who wouldn't ask about the pink elephant if they knew it was there?"

A few seconds of silence pass before Shadow looks back to the stove with a snort. "That is an idiotic metaphor. Elephants are not pink."

"Okay, we'll save the metaphors for extra credit." 

He disregards the growl of agitation. Looking down to his fingers to avoid eye contact as narrowed crimsons turn on him, he closes his own eyes and continues before his confidence abandons him under the other's scrutiny. "Seriously though, we gotta talk about last night's… 'activities'."

There's a pause in Shadow's stirring, coupled with a slight twitch of the muzzle that could be anger, but could just as easily be uncertainty in the stoic hedgehog. He's not entirely sure, but Sonic thinks he can see a slight pinkness to the ebony's muzzle as he goes back to stirring the sauce in silence.

"...and that's it?" He feels frustrated at the lack of response. "You knew I was listening, didn't you?" Shadow doesn't react, and irritation creeps along with feeling taken advantage of. "If I knew you wanted me to stay just to help you get off, I wouldn't have bothered."

Shadow's tone is quieter than usual as he fists the wooden spoon, his ear tips flushing a satisfactory red. "Shut up, Faker."

"Oh no, we're not playing that game." A fire burns in Sonic's veins, an overzealous temper fueled by excess testosterone that raises his voice and hardens his features. "Rouge asked me to come stay here to keep you  _ company _ , not to act as your  _ muse _ . Be decent enough to give  _ and _ take, not just deal with your own issues."

"I said be  _ quiet _ ." 

A loud  _ snap _ of wood echoes around the sparsely decorated kitchen as the spoon handle in Shadow's grasp jolts to an awkward angle above his fist. The noise seems to give them both pause, Sonic momentarily unable to breathe as Shadow regards the broken handle with contempt.

Suddenly, he reels on Sonic with anger creasing his features, brandishing the splintered wood directly at the hero's nose with such a ferocity blue ears fold back uncertainly. "If Rouge had ulterior motives, I shall address them in due course, but I do  _ not  _ appreciate being accused of  _ debauchery  _ in my own home. Am I clear?"

"Crystal," Sonic answers too quickly, his hands raising between them defensively. "I didn't mean to accuse, I just… I felt a bit… used. Got a little riled and my tongue moved faster than my brain, you know? Heat hormones and all."

The broken spoon remains nose-level for what feels like a lifetime, but drops when Shadow tisks humourlessly and turns away. He uses another spoon to fish out the remains of the first, drops it in the sink and gives the sauce a cursory stir with its replacement before turning his attention to the pasta. 

Sonic stays silent, watching the ebony drain pasta, separate it into two bowls and smother it in meat sauce. He takes it with a grateful smile and digs in immediately, filling his mouth before more regretful questions surface while they both have steaming hot bowls of food to empty on one another.

Ten minutes late, stomach full and satisfied, a little confidence returns. "So we gunna at least talk about your technique, or.."

Crimson irises bulge as Shadow chokes on his mouthful, having to cough into a fist to dislodge the offending food before downing a glass of water. Once recovered, his expression is one of thunder. "It is  _ not _ something people discuss."

"Maybe not  _ people,  _ but for Mobians it sure is," Sonic continues, arms folded on the table with a genuine smile on his face. "Guys talk about what their girls like, what makes them  _ want _ to be home with their girls, and techniques for pleasing their girls and themselves. And girls-"

"I do not wish to know what females discuss," the striped hedgehog interjects, scowling at his dinner before pushing what remains of it gently across the breakfast bar, far enough away he can't smell it. "Nor do I wish to discuss things of that nature with  _ you _ . It's not socially acceptable."

Sonic chuckles softly to himself. "We talk about it in the supermarket, Shads. Isle three; milk, eggs and who you plan to hole up with for the season. Did you grow up in the Human 50's or something?" 

A silent sidelong glare from the ebony makes a few cogs shift in Sonic's head. "Oh. Right, you did. On a space station. My bad." 

He clears his throat awkwardly and looks away, hands on the counter tapping out a sporadic rhythm on the veneer as he thinks. Eventually, he gets up and pushes his chair in, taking his bowl to the sink to rinse out as he speaks. "Well, I'm gonna go shower. Nothing worse than going to bed dirty, right?"

Shadow replies with a grunt. Sonic places his bowl aside to be washed properly and turns to leave, though her pauses at the edge of the breakfast bar. He knocks on the veneer twice with a fist, working up the courage to ask the question on his mind. Unsure if Shadow will understand the concept without understanding Mobian heat, he sighs in defeat and hedges his bets.

"I know you research everything," he comments, seeing Shadow look over with a raised brow in his peripheral. Despite this, he keeps his own eyes averted. "So do me a favour? Read up to Heat Mates. It'll give you an idea why I got a bit weird, okay?"

He leaves before Shadow can respond, not wanting to directly answer any questions the ebony might have, and really not wanting to be present when he found out what a Heat Mate actually was. 

You know, just in case he decided Sonic should lose some teeth for the suggestion.


	4. Chapter 4

**_HEAT MATES (HM)_ **

_ synonyms: heat partner; burners; wing[wo]man _

_ A relationship formed to weather [Heat Cycle]s, the term is inclusive of all genders, species and orientation usually comprised of male partners. Heterosexual Mated Pairs [ _ **_see: Mating Pairs_ ** _ ] are often referred to as HM by Mobian feminists. _

_ Since 2009, in Mobian culture with roots in feminist Mobian movements, the term has been expanded to include any pair that partner for [Heat]; hetero/ homo sexual relationships; transient/ fixed identity, perminent/ temporary status etc. _

_ Human tolerance of such casual sexual relations remains poor [even] ten years later. Despite its beneficial effects on managing Mate Behaviour and Prowling, such acts are still considered to be distasteful in Human society. _

* * *

**_Associated Behaviours:_ **

_ Possessiveness of HMs; intermittent dominant and submissive behaviour in transient role HMs; significant decrease in Prowling and Promiscuity in Fs; increased sexual activity of both M/F within HMs; prevalence of Marking Behaviour in all dominant roles; maintained potency of Burn Out in M HMs. _

* * *

**DAY 3**

**_[00:04; Shadow's Room]_ **

Unsure how to respond after reading about Heat Mates, Shadow had instead opted to avoid the azure by keeping his nose buried in a book. To his credit, while Sonic loitered and obviously wanted to talk he didn't interrupt the striped hedgehog pretending to read, finally excusing himself for a run late in the evening.

Shadow took the opportunity to seclude himself, taking a swift shower before diving into his room. There he attempted to sleep before Sonic came back, but a combination of anxiety, racing thoughts and lewd mental images of the cerulean in the ebony's bed made all his attempts a failure. 

Sonic returned within the hour, and after peeping in on Shadow as he feigned sleep retired to the guest room. An hour and a half has passed since and Shadow is still awake, plagued by questions his textbook didn't answer, uncertainty regarding the month ahead and trying  _ not _ to imagine the relations they might share.

His usually sheathed member has begun to protrude from his slit, the pouch swollen by the hardening organ within, and Shadow feels uncomfortably warm in its wake. 

Small shivers of pleasure creep up his spine whenever the tip brushes against his sheets, the shaft pulsing in time with a heartbeat that only quickens whenever he recalls Sonic's irritating face. It begs to be touched,  _ aches _ for release, and refuses to let his mind fall into slumber.

The solution is an easy one; a swift application of friction he's used for decades and even made use of last night, but he daren't knowing Sonic lies next door. He still doesn't understand why his rival felt used - nothing he's read has helped - suggesting a cultural gap he's oblivious of.

That's the hardest reality to endure right now; Shadow feels ignorant, a feeling he despises.

A bigger problem is Sonic, and the realization he's most certainly awake and likely to hear him pleasure himself makes his cock  _ throb _ . His imagination keeps going off sideways, picturing the azure spread across the guest bed jerking himself off to the ebony's own moans, shared pleasure separated only by a paper-thin wall.

Shadow's breaths come deep and fast, his abdomen burning without even touching himself while his senses simultaneously reduce in scope yet heighten in clarity. His brain bathes in a pool of deliciously distracting hormones that keep rest at arm's reach, hanging Shadow on the edge of relaxation he can't achieve while aroused.

_ God fucking  _ **_damnit_ ** .

Reservations about upsetting Sonic - or even leading him on, because Shadow still doesn't know if becoming Heat Mates is a good idea - discarded in desperation, he stretches out on his back, places a tissue on his stomach and roughly pumps his length.

He plans to be fast and quiet, biting his lip to swallow a groan of pleasure when shudders spread through his thighs and up his spine. Despite his resolve, whimpers and gasps still escape into the night, lost in a secrecy he hasn't allowed others to penetrate.

Mental images of his rival still flow like water; gasps and groans passing his lips as he plays with himself hard and fast, features creased in ecstasy as he tugs and abuses his dick, the tensing of buttocks as waves of contractions spread through his abdomen near climax…

"Haah…"

Shadow freezes mid-stroke, his breath hot and heavy in the silence that follows, ears pert and attentive. He's desperate to know the source of the gasp, uncertain if he  _ wants _ to know if it wasn't him, but the prospect of Sonic actually playing along makes precum dribble from his tip.

"Shads, keep go- hnng." There's a pause as the cerulean regains his composure, his last stroke apparently too intense to ignore. "K-keep going, Shads. Please…"

Blood rushes to his face, Shadow's muzzle burning a dark crimson beneath his pale fur, even the flush of his ear tips visible through his ebony coat as his rival begs him to continue. Laboured breaths just beyond his bedroom wall have his cock painfully hard, desperate to shoot a fresh load of semen everywhere but a tissue as all sense leaves him.

And his own breaths quicken in anticipation, mind wild conjuring images of the hedgehog  _ pleading _ for his manhood in his mouth, in his ass, for his semen to splatter all over his face. Shadow's balls constrict in arousal and he groans long and deep, only partially aware of his hand starting to pump his manhood. 

"Haaah…"

Crimson orbs flutter closed as he drowns in his other senses - Sonic's gasps and moans, the silkiness of his sheets, the burning ache in his groin - letting them drive him closer to the most intense release he's ever felt build.

"Aah, yes. You sound so  _ hot _ ." Shadow's mouth dries at the compliment, a surge of heat through his groin that almost sees him come undone forcing him to slow his hand, a possessive need to cum with the azure now stronger than he needs to be satiated. "Keep m-moaning for me…"

Shadow forgets the tissue on his stomach and rolls onto his side, a preferred position to curl his knees up and jerk himself closer to fur, a whine of pleasure passing his lips when his own chest fur caresses his sensitive tip. He wants it to be azure fur, the tickle of his dense coat around his tight pucker as he pounds inside that athletic frame. 

Imagining the scenario brings him so close to climax he has to stall entirely, a shuddering gasp for air before the sensations become bearable again. " _ F-Fuck _ , Faker, stop t-t-teasing and finish already."

Sonic snickers. "You're so impatient, Shads."

Shadow snarls, the tip of his erection burning for attention his chest fur can't provide, temper as aroused as his dick. He'd have finished a long time ago going solo, might already be asleep, yet here Sonic was making him delay the ecstasy he knew awaited.

The telltale  _ fap  _ of a slick penis being rubbed hard and fast punctuates the heated air, deep moans getting higher and higher as Sonic nears his peak. Shadow imagines the shake in those strong thighs, the blazing eartips as he bit his lip, so close to orgasm there's no going back. 

"Finish with me, Sh-Shadow. P-please…"

His own hand becomes a blur, Shadow's painfully engorged arousal so sensitive he whimpers. The heat in his abdomen quickly turns to fire, an all-encompassing burn ready to burst through his groin and numb his buttocks.

"Haah, aah…  _ Haaaaah!" _

Shadow cums first, his ball sack so tight they're barely visible as they constrict, forcing waves of hot semen along his shaft and out his slit with enough force to bypass the bed entirely. 

His rival's whimpered gasps penetrate the wall, only encouraging Shadow's release. Sticky, white ejaculate splatters across the carpet, ream after ream leaving disorganised, pale ropes of cum in the grey carpet. It pools in divots and soaks into the fibres, barely visible by the time the last shots of semen dribble from his cock. 

Shadow doesn't notice his seed stain the dark sheets a milky white, nor does he comprehend the mess in the carpet or the state of his hands and groin, cum-soaked fur clumping together as the substance begins to dry. 

He doesn't even hear Sonic shudder and moan through his entire orgasm, the afterglow of his own climax so strong he's asleep in seconds, satiated and content with all his Heat-Mate concerns forgotten in euphoria.

oOoOo

**_[11:31; Living Room]_ **

Knowing he's not alone this time, Shadow should find it easy to revel in the peace and quiet that's descended upon the house. With Rouge gone and Sonic's tendency to sleep past noon, he's had the whole house to himself from daybreak, and likely will until the scent of lunch roused the azure from slumber.

At least, it  _ would _ be easy to revel in if last night hadn't occurred, because surrendering to his whims has created more personal questions than general answers for the ebony, namely around his sexual identity and its conflicts with what he was taught aboard the ARK.

There'd been no Mobian literature or reference texts, their activities only mentioned in passing as a  _ sin.  _ A term Shadow never really understood as it's definition implied retribution, from either an invisible deity or an unknown third party. 

Both the Professor and Maria tried to explain their God to him, but it never made much sense that He was basically invisible, sustained on faith in His plans. It's this same being that dictated  _ sin _ , and He wouldn't tolerate many of the things Mobians practiced during the Heat, homosexuality included.

Masterbation itself wasn't great, so masterbating with another  _ male _ \- basically a homosexual act - must be worse than simple  _ sin,  _ surely? It's a logical line of thought he can't shake, one that plagues him as he tries to relax despite the species displacement.

What is sin to Humans isn't sin to Mobians. Hell, as far as he can tell they don't use the word, but consider it morality not to do horrible things, and these were restricted to more sensible ones in the hedgehog's mind; murder, abuse, theft. 

Beyond those, Mobians were a lot laxer, with special emphasis on Heat behaviour. From his reading, it seems pretty much any scenario to deal with the Heat goes, from same-sex groups to homo- and heterosexual couples. By that logic, what he and Sonic did was natural, the normal progression of coping behaviour.

Were his actions with Sonic last night  _ sin _ , or an expected response to the Heat his Human carers never had to deal with? Could you say raging hormones and close proximity was enough to excuse his loss of inhibitions? Should be he conforming to the Human standards he was raised with, or the Mobian standards more culturally relevant to his species?

No conclusions have been drawn, and now his head hurts.  _ Wonderful _ .

He closes the book in his lap and leans back in his armchair, regarding the ceiling with a tired stare, thoughts continuing to circle until Shadow decides to distract himself. Placing the reference book on the coffee table he stands, snags his empty mug and heads for the kitchen.

Time to start lunch.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic the Opportunist strikes again.  
> Poor kitchen counter.

**_MARK[ING]_ **

_ synonyms: heat mark; mate mark; love bite. _

_ [ _ **_marking behaviour_ ** _ ]; the Mobian drive to imprint a mate/ heat mate with a [mark] _ ****

_ [ _ **_acceptance behaviour_ ** _ ]; willing submission to a mate/ heat mate to accept a [mark] _

_ [ _ **_ambiguous marking_ ** _ ]; heat mate [F/M] pairs that [mark] each other in transient role pairs _

_ A [mark] is bestowed upon a female by a mate during the Heat to modulate sexual desire and arousal, increase fertility and sacrifice a portion of the male's own control for the mate's comfort. _

_ Marking behaviour is considered to be a natural occurrence and not treated with stigma amongst heterosexual heat mates, the importance of it compared to the Human sanctity of marriage; mates who Mark often mate for life, raising cubs together for decades. _

_ Over eighty percent of all couples who [mark] maintain stable future relationships, breeding multiple times, compared to the twenty-four percent of mate pairs who don't.  _

_ The methods by which Marking achieves these unspoken vows are poorly understood; homosexual females can achieve a similar effect by marking one another, while male couples cannot, suggesting it is a hormonal response in a female that causes a synonymous response in a [mark]ing male. _

**_Note_ ** _ : while same-sex [mark]ing is accepted in female homosexual heat mates, it is considered a mockery of a [mark]ed male's masculinity in homosexual male heat mates and as a result, few males purpously mark homosexual partners. _

* * *

**_DAY 3_ **

**_[18:19; Kitchenette]_ **

Anyone watching Sonic would be able to tell he's agitated; a knee bounces so fast beneath the breakfast bar it becomes a blur, emitting a low hum Sonic can only just hear as air is constantly displaced and sucked back in by the jiggle.

He has his chin resting in his palm, frowning emerald irises locked on Shadow making dinner. He drums his fingers on the counter, a distraction from the monotony of silence the ebony seems to enjoy, his mind sifting through information and cues from the last few days that don't quite add up.

Despite seeming to enjoy their escapades the night before, Shadow hasn't mentioned it at all. In fact, he's been even more antisocial than usual, not even entertaining Sonic's attempt to involve him by watching tv - with control of the remote as a hook, though he didn't bite - or playing games together.

The only deduction Sonic can some to is he has some serious hang-ups when it came to sex. With how reluctant he is to discuss the topic, his education must've been mainly human-oriented, ignoring the biological drive to reproduce Mobians felt during the Heat as if remaining oblivious would prevent it occurring. 

Quite the opposite, it'd simply left the hedgehog encumbered with unattainable goals and a poor sense of management. Shadow is obviously struggling to admit to his desires as well as deal with them, resorting to it only when it becomes unbearable in the wee hours of the morning. 

Definitely not healthy for a Mobian. If he's just-

"Stop tapping, Faker." The striped hedgehog glares at him sidelong, crimson irises half lidded while hands still work on making a stir-fry. 

Sonic stops suddenly and smiles with a cringe, ears flattening a little to communicate a silent apology. After a short glare the ebony looks away again, bored expression focused on the browning chicken and softening vegetables, and the hero's muzzle twists in concern.

No, Shadow isn't coping so well. Jacking off to each other in separate rooms won't keep both of them satiated as the Heat wears on, and the last thing either of them needs is a violent outburst fueled by sexual tension when the Burn Out hits in just over a fortnight. 

_ But if he won't talk about it, what am I supposed to do?  _

That's the main concern, because bringing it up verbally will result in the same conversation as yesterday - he won't want to talk about it, and Sonic will end up leaving out of nerves and frustration before he says or does something that gets voicebox forcefully removed.

Then, an underhanded and equally dirty solution forms in his Heat-addled mind, and a sly grin curls the azure's tan lips. It's risky, at least a fifty percent chance he'll still end up with some organ dragged from his torso without anaesthetic, but if it  _ works... _

As casually as possible, Sonic slips out of his chair and into the kitchen, pretending to grab a glass of water while watching his striped counterpart closely. 

Shadow seems none the wiser, stirring the food until taking it off the heat to stand a moment as he gets bowls from the island cupboards. The calm ebony's slightly raised tail, revealing a pink pucker framed with pert buttocks that send a shudder down Sonic's spine.

_ Chaos, _ the idea of burying his dick in that tight - assumedly virgin - hole has his sheath bulging, manhood already hardening in anticipation of what this Heat might bring. It takes a lot of restraint against instinct for Sonic to hold back until Shadow straightens, placing two bowls on the counter before opening a drawer for cutlery.

Now's his chance. 

Swift as his namesake, Sonic closes the distance between them in less than a millisecond. Snatching Shadow's hand from the drawer and pinning it behind his back, he forces the surprised hedgehog's upper body onto the cool veneer with his own, limiting his leverage while freeing a hand to pin the hybrid's free arm to the counter above his head.

Shadow starts fighting as soon as his surprise wears off, but it's already too late; the azure presses him to the counter with ease, a fistful of dark quills in one hand and Shadow's own long fingers entwined with with his own of the other.

He's stuck in the most vulnerable position Sonic had ever seen him in, and  _ fuck _ it's hot.

The ebon goes still, muscles tense and breath harsh.  _ Is he aroused or simply surrendering? _ Whichever it is doesn't reverberate through his dangerously low tone, the edge of a growl encapsulating every overly-punctuated word. 

"Get off.  _ Now _ ."

A part of him honestly considers it, an anxious flutter in his chest aroused by Shadow's tone making him second-guess his instincts. He could let go and make a break for it, lose Shadow in the forest beyond Station Square and never look back, leaving this entire scenario sure to bring the hybrid's wrath down on him in the future.

But his other half counters with the obvious. Shadow is as fast as he is, and requiring little food or rest would doggedly track him the entire Season, if need be. Running isn't an option; he's in too deep with the wrong hedgehog, and his only out now is to follow through and hope Shadow doesn't respond too badly.

Instead of answering, Sonic shifts, pinning the errant arm with his left elbow and transferring his fistful of striped quills to the same hand, freeing his right hand to roam. His captive struggles in this new hold, delaying him only seconds before he's sure the ebony is secure, then drags his glove off with his teeth and spits it to the floor. 

His own breath deep from arousal, Sonic trails his bare fingers across his rival's torso before entwining them with the tuft of white on his chest, tugging at the fur and smiling crookedly at the small gasp it garners, and the slight shake in Shadow's voice. "I s-swear to God, if you-"

"Easy, Shads." His tone is soothing, and the hedgehog beneath him shudders as warm breath caresses a pert, dark ear. "I'm not about to force myself on you, if that's what you think. I'm just doing a little  _ giving _ , to return what you gave me last night."

He trails his claws down Shadow's chest, his own breath coming with a groan of arousal when the ebony's strong muscles quiver at his touch. 

"We talked about giving and taking, right?" He leans into the hybrid on purpose, pressing his hard sheath between those firm buttocks as he whispers right into his ear canal. Shadow takes a shaky breath as claws skim across his lower abdomen. "I'm just being fair, aren't I?"

Sonic doesn't give him the chance to answer, pressing his bare palm firmly to his groin and, pleasantly surprised not only by the leaking tip peeking from his burning sheath but the moan of pleasure his rival expresses, the hero's own length slides free of its sheath. 

The ebony hedgehog goes limp against the kitchen island, pressing his forehead to the counter. Weakened knees gladly allow Sonic to hold him up as shudders wrack his muscles. He's seemingly submitting to his 'gift', but the azure isn't stupid enough to release his hold just yet.

"Good boy," he whispers, because he can't help himself; being in control is just  _ too _ intoxicating, and with no experience with pleasuring anyone but himself before, he's running on instinct.

His captive's growl of dissent is thwarted by pressing his girth into a palm and pumping agonisingly slowly, a sly smile curving the azure's lips as the growl morphs into a whine of need. "Hush now. Good boys get rewarded. You want to be rewarded, don't you, Shads?"

A whimper passes the hybrid's lips, so quiet Sonic barely hears it, but it's all the affirmation he needs. He simultaneously pumps a bit faster and pulls Shadow's head up a little by the quills, rubbing the shaft of his erection to the ebony's quivering ring as he nips a dark ear.

Shadow surrenders to his grip with a hiss that soon becomes groans of pleasure, hips bucking back into the solid erection grinding against his sensitive pucker. 

Sonic shivers and moans with him, desperately resisting the urge to bury himself balls-deep in the submissive ebony beneath his engorged dick. Precum leaks from his lip at the mere thought, encouraged by the whimpering mess of quills he's rutting against, and Sonic realises if he doesn't finish this quickly he going to give in, breaking the promise he already made. 

Squeezing his rival's dick tight and firm, he speeds up without warning.

"Soni- Haaah!  _ Fuck!" _

He buries his muzzle in Shadow's neck with a groan of pleasure, tense ebony buttocks squeezing his own erection and pushing him ever closer to his own climax. The smells, the friction, the  _ heat _ of it all is getting too much, and Sonic can feel the tension in his groin rising to its peak.

His captive shudders and bucks in his grasp, breath hot and heavy, gasping and moaning as his fingers curl, claws scraping across the previously pristine countertop. 

Shadow's so close to his peak, the azure can smell the precum lubricating his shaft, and its with that salty tang Sonic comes undone; his eyes squeeze shut as he gasps and moans, sweet release accompanied by an ecstasy no amount of masturbation could bring. 

Blinding waves of euphoria keep him shivering as rope after rope of hot, sticky cum expels from his tip and coats Shadow's back, gumming quills together and soaking fur with abandon. 

As soon as the first drop hits ebony fur Shadow joins him in ecstasy, unable to hold back any longer; his dark maw hangs agape, muscles quivering as jets of semen expel from his own tip, spurting all over the doors of the cabinet, coating the azure's hand and dripping to the floor.

Finally satiated and breathing heavily, Sonic releases the ebony's headquills, watching with half-lidded eyes as Shadow lowers his forehead back to the counter in exhaustion. His claws stay embedded in the veneer, his body sagging against the island counter covered in both their cum, seemingly just as satisfied as the azure.

Sonic murrs softly, taking a moment to bathe in his afterglow and nuzzle the ebony's neck. Shadow's musk is delicious, his short fur ticking his face, and while this might not have been the plan when he arrived, he can't deny its an outcome he's enjoying.

Well, as long as he gets to keep his kidneys. 

For that reason, he has no intention of still being there when Shadow recovers, leaving the messy hedgehog slumped over the island to go clean himself up and make himself scarce for the rest of the night. 

Late-night runs have always been fun, at least.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Shadow gets revenge, of sorts.]

**_TRANSIENT-ROLE [HEAT MATES] (M)_ **

_ synonyms: hetero-immitation; fluid; undefined _

_ Originally coined hetero-immitation for the similaries these relationships held with Mating Pairs, the term has since been updated to "Transient" or "Fluid" to reflect the ever-changing complexities of an arrangement where no definitive female archetype exists. _

_ While they do occur in females,Transient-Role (TR) relationships are most common in male HMs, despite their ease of transition through the majority of the (Heat). It is hypothesised such behaviour modulates future aggression and promiscuity in Burn Out, but too few studies have been conducted for a clear conclusion. _

_ Unlike other HM pairs, when there is a defined dominant (DA) archetype and a submissive (SA) archetype, TR pairs tend to involve individuals who would both occupy the DA role in any other HM pair. As such, they tend to be more volatile, have a heavy emotional involvement, and can involve multiple dynamic shifts in a day.  _

_ Dominance is determined by fortuitous outcome of perisexual struggle or foreplay, or to simplify: one gains an advantage over the other through scuffle or preliminary sexual gratification at the commencement of each encounter. _

* * *

**_DAY 4_ **

**_[01:41; Upstairs Hallway]_ **

Swinging through an open kitchen window, Sonic is careful to avoid the countertops and land with a muffled  _ thud _ on the linoleum. Cringing at the sound he pauses, pert ears flickering as it bounces off the tiled walls and back in a muted echo, core muscles coiled and ready to run.

Silence soon returns though; there's no greeting from the living areas and no feet on the steps. 

He lets out a sigh of relief; after submitting to the heat-addled decision to pin Shadow against a counter, relieve a little more Heat tension and leave him soaked in both their fluids, his nerves have frayed. Shadow could be volatile at the best of times, so having been overpowered, actively surrendering then being reduced to a breathless puddle in his own kitchen?

Probably a trigger for some strong emotions, probably negative ones aimed at his cerulean counterpart, and Sonic isn't sure he can deal. As such, he's been conspicuously absent the entire evening, letting his feet take him wherever they desired to keep him physically and emotionally separate from the day's events.

The coward in Sonic begged him not to go back, and he'd been tempted to listen. He's not used to feeling uncertain, the confidence he exuded as genuine as his smile, but it wavers in the face of recent actions considering the ebony's fiery temper and, most likely, his  _ own _ uncertainty with recent events.

Still, he chose this path, and it wouldn't be right not to see it through to closure for them both. So he's returned.

He pads with trepidation, steps slow and silent as azure triangles twitch and twist, attentive to each whisper of sound and his own careful steps. The house remains silent, though, and by the time he reaches the hall Sonic is sure his rival must already be asleep, too exhausted by the satiation of urges to keep a vigil.

Pausing by the front door, the azure takes his shoes off and places them with Shadow's skates before starting up the stairs, the sturdy, new construction thankfully soundness.

The upstairs hallway is wide and dark, the shadows illuminated at regular intervals by large, square windows along the left wall. Unshuttered, they let in ambient city light, enough to highlight each doorway to his left while leaving the spaces between in inky darkness.

His steps are muffled in thick carpet as he walks, counting the doorways in his head until he reaches Shadow's room. Like the others, the door is closed, and the temptation to crack it open and observe his serious rival in a rare state of peace has him hesitate on the threshold.

Then survival instinct takes precedence and he decides against it, in case the ebony hedgehog was indeed still awake.

He moves to the next room - the guest room Shadow had made up for him - and takes hold of the knob, but before he can turn it a bony elbow smashes into the left side of his skull. 

Sonic's head snaps to the side and stars flood his vision, the azure caught entirely off guard. He juts an elbow to his left reflexively only for someone to snag his wrist and twist his arm painfully behind his back. He gasps in pain, muscles and tendons straining against the force.

Trying to regain some ground he centers his stance and throws his head backwards, but the assailant dodge his headbutt, fists a chunk of headquills and shoves the azure's face into the door.  _ Hard _ .

For a moment he's stunned. Blinking away the combined disorientation of surprise and residual dizziness, he makes an effort to wrench free only to have his arm pulled tighter. Sonic hisses at the sharp pain that shoots down his shoulder and through his collarbone and with no other option, submits for now; his muscles limber and he catches his breath, ears pert but tail tucked between his legs, a little breathless.

"It isn't enjoyable, is it?" 

The growling voice is familiar, and it's only then he recognises the heavy musk exuding from his dark counterpart. Sonic shivers as warm breath caresses his ear, the male's scent and proximity, his  _ dominance _ , already sending shots of warmth into his lower abdomen.

"Shads?" He asks tentatively, voice softer than he intends it to be. His assailant responds by flipping him, using his captured arm as leverage to spin Sonic around, not giving him time to retaliate before pinning his hips with his own. 

Ungloved claws prick at the sensitive skin of his jaw and throat but despite this, the most unsettling part is the detached stare simmering with curiosity, blood red irises glimmering in the low light. Stunned into silence, unable to form a response, all Sonic can do is stare back. 

The ebony's expression hardens slightly, and his claws dig a little deeper into azure flesh. Sonic gasps in pain and tries to twist away, only to have his muzzle forced back. Made to stare into his intense eyes, a tingling sensation spreading across the surface of his pelt leaves Sonic unsure if he's disconcerted by Shadow's gaze, or turned on by the swollen sheath pressed into his thigh.

"I don't appreciate surprises, Faker." The weight of his musk only increases as he draws closer, noses touching and canines bared warningly in the dim light. "Especially not from you."

Swallowing hard, Sonic plasters on a nervous smile and clutches at his wrist, taking a little claw pressure off his skin. "I got a little carried away... but I thought you consented. If you'd asked me to stop, I- Haahnnn…"

He stalls when Shadow pushes his hips closer, grinding against his groin with a groan, azure legs weakening as pure pleasure shoots through his semi-hard member and warms his abdomen. He whimpers when the ebony forced his chin up to fully reveal his throat.

"I-I've done some reading," the hybrid states, muzzle so close to his neck hot breath dances across sensitive skin, the slow rotation of his hips incessant. "And I c-conclude you desire to be Heat Mates. Am I correct?"

Shadow's moist tongue firmly licks up his neck, slow and firm over his throat and lingering on his Adam's apple, and the tip of Sonic's penis slips from its sheath as the pleasure in his groin builds. Any need to get away has been quashed in the last few seconds, the hero's shivering body submitting to the ebon's attention. 

"I-i-it wa- Hnng! W-was a suggestion, y-y-yes.."

A smirk presses into his neck before fangs nip at his throat and jaw, each momentary scrape of teeth on highly sensitive flesh sending a shudder down the azure's spine. His engorged member slips free of its housing entirely, the sudden contact with Shadow's own forceful thrusts like gas on the fire. "Haah!"

Likewise the dark hedgehog buckles beneath the pleasure, pressing his muzzle into Sonic's neck as a long, passionate groan passed his lips, thick rod twitching and shuddering as their precum mixes together. " _ Chaos _ , you're vocal…"

"Y-you can talk," the azure manages to quip, only to have his jaw forcefully pushed up before Shadow starts sucking on his flesh. He whines, a slim blue leg wrapping over a dark hip for purchase as he starts rocking himself against the elder. 

Shadow braces a palm on the wall as his legs begin to shake, groans muffed by the chuckling azure's neck "Such a h-h-hypocrite…"

His breaths are hot and wet on bright fur, their fluids spreading through abdominal fur and slickening his movements, the usually stoic hedgehog's chest heaving with each deep inhale, filling his nostrils with Sonic's own musky scent. 

"Sh-shut up, Faker…"

Sonic tries to take a hold of his dark quills and is quickly thwarted, his hand sequestered and pressed to the wall beside his head. The sharp claws on his jaw retract and an ebony arm curls instead around Sonic's back, drawing his chosen mate firmly into his now rapidly gyrating pelvis by a buttock.

The azure gasps, the tightening of muscles in his groin and balls a sure sign he's close to release, and surrenders to the intense pleasure; fingers entwine with the ebon's beside his head as he thrusts against Shadow's pulsing manhood, each jerk of the hips less coordinated than the last as his climax draws ever near.

Bathing in sensations he'd never thought he'd share with his rival, his head thrown back and his mouth agape, his words are loud and mostly incoherent, leg tightening around that slim, dark furred hip as he finally nears his peak.

"Hnng. Shads I… I need… I'm gonna…"

Canines skimming hot skin send quivers down Sonic's spine, but when Shadow bites down and suckles, despite the pain, Sonic comes undone. 

He gasps and shudders as waves of pleasure cascade down his length, blissful contractions shooting hot ropes of cum onto their chests. His own cries of ecstasy intermix with his mate's as his climax, the heat of his ejaculate and the cries passing his lips, brings Shadow to his limit.

The ebony whines through his climax, fangs still embedded in Sonic's pelt and rutting up against the younger hedgehog as thick reams of his own cum joins Sonic's. Sodden fur meshes together thick and sticky with their seed as he slowly reaches the end of his climax, leaning into the azure for support.

Breathless and soaked, azure and obsidian appendages entwined, they stay there for many minutes as they recover. 

Sonic lets his head fall back against the door and closes his eyes, a warm contentment seeping into his bones and fatigue fogging his brain. Emerald irises open unfocused, rays of light and darkness no more than undefined, murky streaks, the ambient light outside an orange cloud in his deeply satisfied haze.

Similarly, Shadow keeps his face buried in his shoulder, a pool of bloodied saliva in the corner of his still-open maw as he recovers his breath. His grip on Sonic's hand flexes and their fists slip slightly down the wall, drawing the azure's amused gaze and a breathless chuckle.

"That's… a yes, then... is it?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A heart-to-heart.  
> [And a little guidence?]

**_DOMINANT ARCHETYPE (DA)_ **

_ synonyms: dominant elect; masculine archetype _

_ With the term "masculine archetype" falling from favour at the turn of the century, more sensitive terminology has been established in Dominant Elect (DE) or Dominant Archetype (DA), though both words share the same definition. _

_ The actively dominant individual of a HM pair, the DA takes a definitive amount of control in an HM relationship, often defining when and how sexual gratification is achieved for both parties. Most often, the DA will "give" pleasure before securing their own, ensuring both partners are satisfied with the arrangement. _

_ Some species (historically canids, in particular) are known to have more aggressive males, and in these cases more transient role relationships exist. Where established archetypes exist in canids, there is usually also tension, with an overzealous and egotistical DA presiding over a runt SA. However, the frequency of such unstable relations has declined as modern ideals have progress. _

_ In transient-role relationships, where the title is often passed between the participants, the DA becomes temporarily more aggressive whilst retaining certain levels of respect and empathy for the SA, resulting in fewer disputes, greater satisfaction, and a smoother transition through the Heat. _

* * *

**_DAY 4_ **

**_[05:43; Nature's Point]_ **

Hunching over, Shadow rests his palms on his knees to catch his breath, letting the slight stitch in his side fade as he gazes out over the city sprawled below. Light pollution creates a pale glow that disturbs the darkness, lighting the inky sky a pale blue edged with an unnatural burnt orange.

It's been a long time since he's run outside of a mission, even longer since he last came here, to Nature's Point. A private hill in a nature reserve that overlooks Station Square where he would always come to think or lament his losses.

Or, in much earlier days, to talk with Maria.

Its where Black Doom had found him five years previously. Where he had come to recuperate after his defeat at Infinite's hands. Where he'd even thought over the prospect of sharing a home with his GUN partner. Many difficult and intricate decisions have been made in this spot, beneath the only tree on the crest of a hill, and as he takes a seat at it's base he's about to add another to that list.

Closing his eyes, Shadow leans back against the cool trunk and breathes deep, forcing his breathing to normalise with each inhale. The fatigue plaguing his skull slowly evaporates, leaving the same familiar emptiness of the mind excessive exercise always brought in its wake.

Half-lidded orbs open and look to the sky where stars should be. Shadow swallows hard before he whispers. "What should I do, Maria?" 

As usual, the stars remain silent, lost in light pollution and stranded in space. The hybrid feels nauseous, the conflict of nature over nurture still roiling in his stomach only made worse by his Human education. 

Everything Sonic has taught him or drawn him into had been in direct conflict with the values those most important to him had held in life: sex outside of marriage; engaging in self-stimulation; homosexual activity;  _ lust _ instead of love. All of it is  _ sin _ , punishable by damnation after death.

Worse still, he initiated their last encounter, not encouraged or trapped by the azure but seeking and pinning  _ him _ for their pleasure. To Maria and the Professor, such debauchery wouldn't be tolerated; the young scientist got fired, and he was punished when caught pleasuring himself in the past.

This would be no different; isolation, rations, no roaming privileges, harsher test schedules and grueling training regimes all meant to deter him in the future. But they never did, not during the Heat. He was at the mercy of his hormones, sheer willpower and morality keeping him from acts far less ethical than a quick solo session in a wardrobe.

At the time, he believed relieving his tension to a photo of Maria was the worst he could stoop to. Now, he's not so sure.

Unshed tears wet his eyes as he stares at the deep blue sky, remembering the positions of the stars as he saw them from the ARK. Struggling to swallow the lump in his throat he gasps in a breath and soaks up his tears with a glove cuff, cursing his own lack of fortitude.

Maria had wanted him to be happy, to give a chance to Earth and its people, to make connections with his own kind and learn to live. Would that have included sexual gratification, or even relationships beyond friendship? Could she have forgiven finding it with another male?

Shadow very much doubts the innocent girl ever considered relationships beyond romanticised stories of soulmates played out through shy kisses on the beach and holding hands. Even if romance had been included in that last wish, would she approve knowing the relationship he held was so… physical?

He feels lost, a dog without its master, a collar without an address, his name all anyone who reads it will discover. His master can never be found, his home always beyond his reach, and Shadow suddenly shivers with cold. 

"Please," he begs softly, tears threatening to return. "Guide me, Maria. Tell me what to do."

The hybrid isn't really sure what he expected: a strange wind from the south guiding him home? A nut smacking him on the head? Her favourite flower to suddenly bloom all around him? Some wild animal to steal his skates and lead him back to his front door? 

All those options sound ridiculous, but he didn't expect Sonic to turn up on the hillside, either.

A gust of wind announces his arrival. Shadow pivots his head on the tree trunk to regard the cerulean tiredly, tightening his jaw to hide the fragile emotional state he's found himself in. Still, the usually vibrant smirk on Sonic's muzzle is absent, in its place a thin line coupled with soft, concerned emeralds irises.

He pivots his head, crimson orbs on the starless sky again as nausea rises in his gut. Except this time it's not in despair that circles, but hope. Thoughts race through his consciousness as the azure silently takes a seat beside him, close enough for their hips to touch as he shimmies back against the thick tree trunk.

_ Is this your sign, Maria?  _

The stars stay silent, a frustrating reality when speaking with celestial bodies with hope of reaching the dead. Perhaps it was simply dumb luck perpetuated by Sonic's inability to sit still, his infuriatingly persistent concern for others the drive to search out and comfort Shadow, sure of his assumption his rival was struggling.

Still, his timing was… exquisite. He must have come straight here rather than running off steam, because he's not breathless, but even Rouge doesn't know Shadow comes here to think. How on Mobius did he know to look here, of all places in Station Square?

"It's nice up here," Sonic's soft tone breaks the silence, and an ebon ear twists towards him. "Shame about the light pollution, but I guess it comes with the city."

Shadow doesn't respond, his mouth drying out when the azure shifts, lightly bumping his thigh with his own as he continues talking. "Look, I… I wanted to apologise properly, Shads. For being so forceful, and not trying to  _ talk _ to you more. I thought you wouldn't want to, that being forward was better, but didn't think about  _ how _ that might affect you."

Closing his eyes, Shadow focuses on the spring chill rolling across his fur, while Sonic sighs in frustration. "I'm bad at this stuff, Shads. Talk to me, please. 

"I don't get why you're finding this so hard. You'll gladly discuss anything else; Mobian politics, Human right, murders and robberies and natural disasters." He pauses, a air of loss in his voice when he asks: "Why is sex, of  _ all _ things, so difficult to talk about?"

Minutes pass in silence, Shadow unable to form the words he needs, and eventually Sonic sighs long and low. "I think maybe I should go."

"No." The ebony's response is instinctive, sharp enough to make Shadow flinch and lower his voice. "No…"

He daren't look to the azure, not wanting to see sympathy or worse, contempt on his features at his obvious weaknesses. Instead he takes a deep breath and casts his gaze back to the sky, watching the natural deep orange sunrise slowly start to engulf the unnatural glare of humanity until his lungs seize.

Deep in the smog of light he can see a single star, a glisten of pure white struggling against an overwhelming onslaught of bright light, and his heart almost falters. He's been coming here for a decade and never,  _ ever _ has a star broken free of the orange glare to grace him with its presence. 

_ Maria..? Is that- _

"Well I'll stay, then." Sonic's voice returns the breath to his lungs, and his attention back to the present. Shadow turns to a kind smile on the azure's muzzle, an upturn of the lips devoid of the usual smug confidence that makes him feel nauseous all over again. "But we  _ are _ gonna talk. Eventually." 

A shadow of that confidence comes back, a little intimidating even if Shadow won't allow it to show, scowling to disguise his nerves as his ears fold back and his quills bristle. His features soften again when Sonic's do though, the azure's smile becoming warm and reassuring, a touch of pity Shadow chooses to ignore in the corners.

"And I don't say that to stress you out, Shads." A gloved hand lightly grasps an ebony knee, the ebony's focus drawn down the confusion gesture as Sonic keeps talking. "Whatever the Humans taught you, even if it was with the best intentions at heart, they don't deal with Heat like we do."

Uncertain crimsons rise to meet confident jades, Sonic's gaze all-encompassing in that moment of compassion. Despite the colour, they remind him so much of Maria, of the care and concern with which she'd regard the striped hybrid, and his guts start tying up in knots again.

"So I'll stay, if you want me to." Sonic adds with sincerity, no joking tone or slight chuckle, and Shadow honestly isn't sure he's ever seen the azure so serious. "But we will talk, okay? When you're ready, I'll be here. That's a promise, and Sonic the Hedgehog keeps his promises."

He seems to wait for a response, but with his mouth drier than a desert and thoughts still reeling, Shadow can't seem to find the words, only a soft nod of the head breaking through his inner turmoil. 

This seems to be enough for the hero, because his smile regains its depth of emotion in barely a second. He gives Shadow's knee a squeeze of reassurance, stands and begins stretching out his body in the low morning light, the soft crack of bones and tendons easily drowned by the morning chorus of birds the tree above.

Shadow looks back to the lone star to find it's gone, once again devoured by light pollution and the morning sun as it breaks the horizon, but still he stares at that spot, wondering if it truly had been his friend trying to communicate her desire to see him pursue this new avenue.

"Mobius to Shads. You there?" He blinks, and a gloved hand waving before his eyes comes into focus. A tired glare sets the azure laughing, and Shadow can't suppress the small smile that curls his lips before Sonic even suggests breakfast.

"Coffee and a danish, my treat. Sound good?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some more dumb fluff.   
> Just. Because.

**_SUBMISSIVE ARCHETYPE (SA)_ **

_ synonyms: submissive elect; feminine archetype _

_ As the terminology for DA roles changed, so did those for the "feminine archetype", similarly resulting in the symbiotic terminology of Submissive Elect (SE) or Submissive Archetype (SA). _

_ The submissive individual in a HM pair willingly allows a DA to control their relationship, relying on said partner to be fair and empathetic. Even outside of sexual relations, a SA will submit to their DA without question, allowing them to take larger portions of food, manage rationing if there is too little, and even partaking in grooming behaviours, if the DA so wishes. _

_ In transient-role relationships, where the title is often passed between the participants, the SA role becomes meek when a DA is established, usual brash behaviour and confidence sidelined until sexual gratification is reached. _

* * *

**_DAY 4_ **

**_[06:24; Café Cappuccino, Station Square]_ **

Normally, Shadow wouldn't be seen dead in a chain coffee house. The burnt coffee, long-life powdery milk and low quality sugar isn't enough to deter Sonic though, especially after he spots an egg and spinach breakfast muffin with coffee deal through the window.

He won't be talked out of his protein-centric breakfast choices, so it's with a grudging resignation that Shadow follows him inside, a bell under the welcome mat drawing out a lone barista from the back. It smells of stale grounds and steamed milk, a radio plays in a far corner, and a handful of Human patrons look over with curiosity as soon as they enter.

Unwilling to engage in conversation, the ebony snags a paper three days out of date from the rack and excuses himself to find a seat, six sets of human eyes burning into the back of his head as he turns to some armchairs in the glass front.

Years of living in Station Square have taught the hybrid three things: One, Humans don't like Mobians who patronise their bars or cafés; two, it's easier for everyone to avoid confrontations; and three, something about his appearance puts Humans and Mobians alike on edge.

Perhaps it was his fur colour, maybe his expression, but avoiding confrontation was less likely to result in being cited for 'disturbance of the peace' or 'causing an altercation'. 

_ Again _ .

Its with this in mind he calmly sits in an armchair by the window, extracts a pair of half-moon spectacles from his quills and flicks his paper open without making direct eye contact with any other patrons. 

In his peripherals, Shadow sees each group returning to their conversations, apparently at ease now he resembles a disgruntled librarian. Content he's not going to be asked to leave, the ebon licks a glove tip and carefully turns the broadsheet page, zoning out the room at large to catch up on current affairs.

There's a two-page spread ranting about the lack of preserved and canned goods available, a direct result of thousands of Mobians clearing shelves as the Heat loomed overhead, and Shadow tries to imagine how desperate he'd have to be to live on Spam and canned peas.

"It's cool, I got it!" The jovial shout signals the hero's return, and he glances over the rims of his glasses to see Sonic headed back with a tray with pastries, mugs and fruit. "Thanks, Paul!"

The barista, assumedly Paul, smiles and waves, and Sonic returns the gesture with a wide grin before placing the laden tray on the stupidly low coffee table between them. "He was nice, gave us a discount for an autograph. Neat huh?" 

Shadow folds his paper and sets it in his lap, reaching for the largest coffee on the tray. Sonic takes his own mug and sits, still prattling on. "Got it for his kid, apparently a huge fan, but I suppose he might- ...what  _ are _ you wearing?"

The hybrid pauses with the mug raised to his lips, though he still sips the mediocre beverage before replying blandly. "Spectacles."

" _ Spectacles, _ " Sonic repeats, waiting for Shadow to nod in response before shaking his head. "I can  _ see _ that, though in the twenty-first century we call 'em glasses, Shads. What I mean is  _ why _ are you wearing glasses? Doesn't your Black Arms gunk keep you from deteriorating?"

A dark brow raises in question as he puts the mug down and reaches for the nearest  _ pain aux chocolat _ . "Yes? How is that relevant?"

Shadow doesn't quite understand why his rival seems so exasperated with that response, which prompts him to explain further. "My eyes adjust to the curvature of the lenses in moments. I can see through them as if they were not present."

"Then what's the point?" Sonic asks with a frown, cradling his own burnt mocha in both hands. "Glasses help people see when their eyes don't work properly. Why bother wearing them if your eyes have to correct to the lenses?"

Nonchalantly, the hybrid rips a corner off his breakfast, relaxes back in his chair and pops the buttery pastry in his mouth. Only once he's finished chewing does he carefully remove the frames, placing them on the tray before returning to his paper.

Within a few seconds, a nearby toddler has begun to fuss, and a few customers who've walked in since they took their seats speak in hushed tones and leave without bothering to buy anything. A full minute later the toddler is crying, and the handful of humans are glaring in their general direction. Even Paul looks pissed.

"...ohkaay, that's weird." The cerulean flashes those looking over a nervous smile and turns back to Shadow with a disbelieving expression. "And makes no sense… when'd you figure that little trick out?"

Shadow takes a moment to replace the frames, feeling his irises shift as the paper comes back into focus. Almost immediately the child has started to settle again, and by the time he's pointedly licked a glove tip and turned a page, all is quiet once more. 

"You didn't  _ steal _ them, did you?"

His contempt for the query is thinly veiled, ebony jaw tight and eyes narrowed over the rims of the accessory. "You think so little of me?"

"What? No!" The cerulean backpedals beneath his narrowed gaze, an event Shadow enjoys just a little too much as his rival scrambles to phrase himself better. "I just meant glasses are made to order, when your eyes go all funny, and with the Black Arms DNA keeping you fit and healthy, surely you'd never need glasses. So where-?"

"Left in the break room," Shadow replies tersely and turns his attention back to his paper, raised so he doesn't have to see the azure's apologetic grimace. "Sat in lost and found for a month. So I claimed them."

There's a short pause, but an apology doesn't come, instead a continued curiosity in his rival's tone. "Does it work..?"

"Somewhat," the ebony hedgehog responds pausing for a drag of coffee. "Since wearing the frames in public, there's been a significant reduction in negative reactions and confrontations associated with my presence. Approximately eighty-nine percent and ninety-one percent, respectively."

"And the other eleven and nine percents?" 

The hybrid snorts, adjusting the broadsheet as he skims through out of date stock prices and politically charged headlines, though a slight smirk forms on his muzzle in recollection.

"A Human called me a nerd, so I broke his fingers."

oOoOo

**_[19:06; Living Room]_ **

"You should wear them more often."

Shadow looks up from his reference text, head tilting slightly in confusion. Despite speaking, all of Sonic's attention remains on the game he's playing, entire body tilting with the controller as his car takes sharp turns or squeezes through small gaps on screen. "Excuse me?"

"The glasses," the animated hedgehog clarifies without looking over, tongue peeking between his teeth in concentration as he tilts almost horizontal on the sofa. "You should wear them more often. They suit you."

He blinks slowly, uncertain if he should take such a compliment gracefully from a rival, and eventually settles on a  _ tisk _ of disregard before returning to his research.

"You always do that."

Looking over the top of his textbook, Shadow is surprised when his own crimson irises meet shimmering emeralds directly, the azure having paused his game. "Do what?"

"Sideline compliments," he replies, and Shadow feels his ears fold back in uncertainty too fast to mask with a scowl, though he tries anyway, hoping the azure's attention isn't as acute as his own. "It's not a jibe, just something I've noticed. 

"You've done it since we met," 

Sonic sets the controller aside with care before standing and closing the distance between them slowly, the uncharacteristically blank expression of his features as foreign on the azure's muzzle as the measured steps he takes. "Deflect praise, that is." 

Shadow is struck dumb beneath his peculiar gaze, so much so he allows Sonic to take the thick text from his grasp, fold the corner of the page as a bookmark and rest it on the side table without resistance. "I've always wondered if you know you're doing it, or if it's a reflex."

Ebony ears sit at half-mast in confusion, and his mouth dries rapidly when Sonic perches on his knee and leans forwards, deep emeralds locked with crimson pools as he draws closer. Soon his breath is on Shadow's cheek, but that's as close as the azure gets, apparently leaning past his rival to snag something.

He can hardly breathe, the cerulean so close Shadow can hear his heart beat, an intense and rhythmic vibration through the hero's lithe frame. Confusingly, he doesn't feel aroused though, this heightened sense of awareness coming from the other's proximity alone, despite such a response never coming from Rouge being so close.

_ Is this another Heat effect, or something else entirely? Does Sonic know he's stirring these emotions and doing so on purpose? What if- _

"Aha!" Sonic exclaims as he sits back, his prize in hand and a dumb smile on his face. 

Finally able to breathe again, Shadow regards the glasses extracted from his quills a moment before turning a tired stare on the azure. Undeterred, his rival carefully places the frames on the ebony's tan muzzle and sits back, then shifts them just a little down his snout before admiring his work with a self-satisfied smirk. 

"There," he states with finality, tilting his head as if observing fine art. "Very distinguished."

Rolling his eyes, Shadow moves to take them off again only to have the azure catch his wrist. When their eyes meet, liquid jades swim with an emotion the hybrid can't identify, but it quells his complaints in his chest long before Sonic finally let's go.

Unable to drag his eyes away, Shadow's arm stays suspended where Sonic caught it for many seconds after the azure releases it, the thin line of his lips and sincerity in his expression more than enough to comprehend. "I meant it, Shads. They look good on you. You should wear them more often."

Then the moment is gone, the static in the air dispersing as quickly as it came when Sonic retreats. His usual spirited manner returns as he offers to make dinner for once, not waiting for a response and excusing himself for the kitchen before the hybrid can utter a syllable. 

Uneasy and somewhat confused, Shadow hesitantly retrieves his book from the side table and opens to where he left off. He reads very little though, constantly looking after the azure, his slight frown magnified by the spectacles still perched on his muzzle.

_ What in God's name was that all about? _


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're getting saucy again~  
> Shadow continues to be a m o o d.  
> The poor duck is confused.

**_PROWLING BEHAVIOUR_ **

_ synonyms: scratch[ing] the itch; baby burn _

_ A distinctive behaviour of females in [heat], the drive to prowl for a mate begins within five to seven years of sexual maturation, making the formative years of managing [heat symptoms] imperative for future mental health. _

_ Young women are usually aided through these years - and often many afterwards - by a trusted elder female known as the Matriarch. Having been through the trials of the Heat and become infertile, they are trusted to impart management techniques and good practices in younger members of the community. _

_ When there are poor boundaries in place or no Matriarch is present, a woman overcome by sexual urges and desires can revert to a more primal state that focuses on the desire to breed, driven by sexual gratification. _

_ Despite the human-perpetuated myth that men who come across a prowling woman are lucky, Mobain males purposely avoid travelling alone during the Heat in case they should encounter a Prowler.  _

_ The entrapment, unsolicited sexual attention and consequent copulation of a male are considered rape and molestation, though certain leniancies exist in court for acts of sexually motivated crime among Mobians during the [Heat], allowing for the loss of morality and unwitting mentality of the female culprit. [ _ **_See: Legislation_ ** _ ] _

_ Females prosecuted for prowling behaviour are expected to attend physical and sexual health classes and check in to a secure facility for future Heat Seasons, and also required to pay for the emotional treatment of injured parties. _

_ Abortion of kits created through sexual crimes is common, though not legally mandated. Male victims are not expected to pay child support cheques to any children born from these attacks. _

* * *

**_DAY 5_ **

**_[00:09; Shadow's Room]_ **

Sonic had been back to his usual cheerful self at dinner, the strange intensity in his expression long forgotten beneath cracking puns and eggs to make omelettes, loading them with more ingredients than Shadow was aware the eggy pancakes could hold; ham, spinach, peppers, mushroom, cheese, a flourish of spices and a crack of salt.

It had also been delicious. The hybrid cleaned his plate, a first since Sonic had come to stay, a detail Sonic either didn't notice or decided to not dwell on as the evening flew by, and the ebony finally succumbed to the azure's begging and played the racing game he's currently obsessed with a while. 

Pleasantly surprised he enjoyed the experience, he even felt a little disappointed when Sonic made his excuses and went to bed just before midnight, exhausted from being awake so long.

Knowing it was sensible, Shadow shut the game down and headed to bed himself, planning to snag a few hours rest as he usually did, then indulge in a little solo play of the game while Sonic got his beauty sleep.

Unfortunately, with nothing to keep his mind busy it wanders unrestrained. Imagination and memory flicker behind dark lids whenever they close, merging and separating in confusing patterns before infiltrating his light sleep.

He sees the Professor's resting nonchalance morph into disappointment, feels the cold, metal floor of an isolation crate beneath his buttocks and the bone-deep ache of overexertion once more. Emotions register - fear, anxiety, guilt - then evaporate into the ether, leaving a void of pain and disappointment in his chest.

Maria comes next, her pale, delicate face and trusting teal irises, the flow of straw-blonde hair over her shoulders and framing her face. 

The only woman he knew on the ARK, not even a Mobian, it was inevitable that she would become a focus of his Mobian biology as he matured. Her species, her status as his sister figure, the fact she was the granddaughter of his creator, all of it compiled into self-hatred and guilt when he'd take her photo into the storage cupboard.

Maria never knew, and that only made him feel worse when arousal burned in his nethers.  _ Sin _ .

His imagination takes over and he's back on the ARK, darkness pressing in on all sides of the tiny hall cupboard. His breaths are heavy, the room heated by those same breaths, but instead of a photo or just his own hands, Maria is there.

She's pressed up against the far wall between the mops and brooms, the shelving to her right stacked high with medical supplies; sealed, sterile syringes, bandages, instruments, all manner of things Shadow doesn't know the name of, neither does he care to learn. 

They cause him pain and discomfort, worth only what can be taken from him, the exact opposite of how he feels now - powerful, in control, lost in pleasure as he thrusts his manhood repeatedly into his frail beloved.

With sharp night vision, he can see her in full glory, dress hitched to her hips and held to the wall by his hand on her waist, hair askew and hair band somewhere beneath them, having fallen. They have to be quiet, but Maria is not; he muffles her cries of passion with a gloved hand to her mouth, biting his own lip so hard he draws blood, but it keeps him near-silent. 

Everything about this is wrong, the punishment he's sure to receive incomprehensible, but she's so pretty, she didn't say no and he  _ needs _ release...

A knock on his bedroom door jolts Shadow awake. He's hot and breathless, his heart beating fast and his penis aching. A small pool of drool stains his pillow while precum wets the sheets, and as the hybrid drags himself back to reality and tries to sit up, he finds he's shaking.

He sits up and wipes the drool on his lips onto the back of his hand, gaze locking onto the distinct hard-on in his lap with disgust. 

_ Jesus fucking Christ _ ...

First Sonic and now Maria have invaded his subconscious, dragging him to the edge of ecstasy almost against his will. The very idea of using his old friend in such a way on the ARK wholly rocks his morals, because never,  _ ever  _ had it crossed his mind before now. Her picture being used is a dirty secret, a Heat fuddled mistake he's burdened with, but to imagine doing such things to her...

Another knock and he loses his temper, frustration with himself leaking into his tone. " _ What _ , Faker?"

The door opens hesitantly, just enough for the azure to peek inside, ears pert and features creased into a frown. His fur is damp from the shower, the scent of Rouge's floral body wash following him into the room. "Sorry if you were asleep, I thought… you sounded pained. Just checking you're okay?"

"Fine," the ebony snaps, ears pressing back against his skull and quills bristling, not in anger but at his own weaknesses, vivid imagination, and poor sense of control that have scattered his confidence into the wind. "Nightmare."

"Ah." Sonic pauses, and it takes Shadow a moment to realise his line of sight is  _ much lower _ than his face and quickly cups himself. "You know, you don't have to lie, Shads. If you wanna go solo-"

"Shut  _ up _ ," the ebony growls with canines bared, and feels a tingle of satisfaction when Sonic unconsciously touches the small fang marks on his neck. "Regardless of the  _ residual effects _ , I can assure you it was a  _ nightmare _ ."

"Alright, it was a nightmare." Sonic chuckles and raises his hands defensively, not as intimidated as Shadow hoped given the smirk on his muzzle. "Doesn't change the fact it left you with a raging boner."

Taken off guard by the azure's bluntness, a red hue creeps into Shadow's muzzle and he looks away, reflexively clutching himself a little tighter and scowling at the nearest wall. 

Had he not had a 'raging boner', as the azure so eloquently put it, he'd have closed the distance between them and knocked some brain cells out. As it stands, however, doing so would have said appendage back out in the open, and he's certain it'll make him much less intimidating.

Lost in his own thoughts, Shadow doesn't notice Sonic approach until he's already knelt in front of him and pulling his knees apart. The ebony jams them back together with a start and shuffles backwards, only to have both hands caught and pinned either side of him on the mattress.

The azure gazes up with a sly smile, his muzzle so close to his throbbing erection Shadow can feel his breath on the shaft. Oddly cooler than the skin itself it curls around his girth, caressing the swollen appendage that twitches in arousal as he speaks in a husky tone.

"D'you need some help with that?"

He needs to decline, fresh images of Gerald's disappointed face playing behind his eyes, but already his body is betraying what he  _ wants _ ; his breaths are hard and fast, erection swollen and balls fully unsheathed beneath, a distracting heat spreading through his groin and making his thigh muscles contract in anticipation.

Sonic presses his snout into his groin and takes a deep sniff of his scent, the contact turning the heat into a raging fire. His hips arch into the contact of their own accord, arms and legs both shaking as a spike of pleasure skims up his spine and down into his appendages.

Thick member having leaked a bead of precum into his fur, Shadow whimpers when the azure pulls back, goosebumps spreading across his flesh. Sonic chuckles to himself and tightens his hold on his captive's hands fisting the sheets, muzzle dangerously close to his pulsating dick.

"I'll take that as a yes, shall I?"

Gentle yet firm lips suckle on his ball sac before he can answer, tasting the delicate flesh, then drawing in a mouthful to tease. Shafow's head tilts back as far as it can, the ebony rendered unable to respond even if he had an answer as a whole new level of bliss washes over him.

Already his breaths become shallow and shaky, his lungs struggling to recall how to function with his focus so entirely distracted by the hedgehog sucking his balls. His dick pulses and twitches with each nibble, leaking drop after drop of precum until it begins to roll down his shaft, soft gasps and groans escaping in lieu of real words.

In the face of Heat and ecstasy, all the Human indoctrination on Mobius couldn't pull him away now. Not from this blinding pleasure, not from the hedgehog he's entrusted his most delicate anatomy to twice in as many days, and certainly not back to solitude, weathering it all alone.

Leaving his balls soaked and contented, Sonic wastes no time moving to the main event. Firm lips pressing to the base of Shadow's shaft, he leaves a trail of anticipation along his length, each lingering kiss a promise of more as he edges his way to the soaking tip.

Emerald eyes meet half-lidded crimsons, the already panting hybrid feeling immediately more flustered by the sight of his rival slowly jacking himself off as he bathes his erection in attention. Then the azure can't seem to resist licking up the cum trickling down his shaft, and Shadow's head falls back with a whimper once more.

"You're s-such a fucking t-t-tease," he manages to force the words out, claws close to ripping his sheets, legs shaking so hard he doubts he could stand. Sonic chuckles, an amused response the ebon expresses disappreciation for with a low growl, though all of his menacing persona is drowning in absolute submission of control. 

"You're just impatient," the cerulean corrects. "So I'm going to show you how building up to it feels, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

Sonic draws his bulbous tip inside his mouth, tongue massaging the leaking slit as he suckles the heated rod. What little composure the hybrid had left escapes in that moment, and with no purchase to keep himself upright Shadow falls back onto the mattress with a gasp. "Haaah…"

Mercifully silent thanks to the wide girth in his mouth, Sonic shifts on his knees for a better angle. Then he starts to move, moist tongue gliding up his length and across his burning tip with every slow bob of azure quills. 

He pumps the ebony's pulsing shaft while the other rapidly pumps his own aching penis, bringing himself close to release before letting the orgasm fall away again, his moans only accentuating Shadow's pleasure as they vibrate through his sensitive dick.

The minutes Shadow would normally dedicate to masturbating are quickly forgotten, three or four becoming fifteen to twenty of pure pleasure from the azure's constant attention. His buttocks are long since numbed, his thighs aching with exertion of tensing up, the feelings sweeping through his frame so damned  _ good  _ there's no previous experience that compares.

Every nerve ending in his body stimulated, riled with a potential Sonic just won't let him reach, yet the ebony is surprised to find he doesn't actually mind. He could spend an eternity in this limbo of aching bliss and still be happy, even a little disappointed as the tightening of his balls brings with it an understanding of how finite the joy he feels really is.

Still it builds, scaling the heights of ecstasy he hasn't been aware existed, the impending climax not a disappointment as he first believed but an intensity still beyond the excessive stimulation Sonic has already provided. He's at the top of a rollercoaster, moments from diving down into an adrenaline rush, the possibility of sexual satisfaction making his heart skip in itself.

Then he plummets into oblivion, his stomach staying in the stars.

Each spasm of his oversensitive dick is almost painful, sitting precariously on the border but still overridden by the sheer scale of pleasure and release he feels with each pulse. 

Semen shoots from his engorged penis and straight into Sonic's mouth. Coating his insides white with salty seed, the azure choking on the volume as it spurts down his throat. This brings Shadow more guilty arousal as his orgasm rages, pulses of sticky cum seeming never to end after such a long build-up.

Sonic grunts, drowning in the elder hedgehog's thick seed, then moans when his own climax crashes over him a few seconds later. Even writhing in his own heaven, Shadow hears the wetness of his rival's seed pumped at high pressure into the carpet, followed by a rhythmic splash of more joining the pool of sodden fibres. 

He whimpers and gasps and moans without care for who might hear. Never having been so aroused and  _ hot _ in his entire life, listening to his azure counterpart simultaneously gulp down his seed and flood the carpet with his own has his ears and cheeks redder than the sunset.

Claws trapped in fibres from the densely woven sheets slowly relax as the ride ends. Sonic continues to suckle his member, milking every last drop of cum from his shaft, so breathless he takes breaks to draw in oxygen.

Shadow isn't much better, and besides the azure's forehead resting on the mattress between his knees as he regains a little of his composure, he remembers little, too deeply satiated to stay conscious for long.

Legs still hanging off the bed, crimson orbs flicker closed as he surrenders to sleep, his azure lover still between his legs.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character development and flashbacks.  
> Also, minor mental illness references.  
> Send Shadow hugs pls.

**_BURN OUT (OVERVIEW; F)_ **

_ synonyms: cool-down; reversal period _

_ During Burn Out, hormone levels in females recede to normal levels, returning their sense of boundaries and morals to what is established for each individual outside of the Heat. While this is usually the final week, if conception occurred it can be much earlier, as little as nine days after the onset of Heat symptoms. _

_ Simultaneously, should females have a Mated male partner, their male will undergo hormone fluctuation comparable to that of the height of female Heat; increased sexual drive and need for sexual gratification, aggressive seeking of gratification, and in unmated males, prowling and promiscuity.  _

_ This is known as the Reversal Period. _

_ Mated males become aggressively defensive of their Marked female, keeping her out of the public eye for up to seven days after the onset of symptoms. It is believed this is a throwback from primitive behaviours, where increased mating more often resulting in multiple births, and a male wanted to be sure they were his own. _

_ In Modern Mobians, multiple births are known to come about from multiple egg release [or] the division of a fertilised oocyte (egg cell). The number of couples who partake in the Reversal Period and have multiple births is statistically not viable when compared to those who did not when considered as a cause of a litter. _

* * *

**_DAY ?_ **

**_[??:??; Approximately Sixty Years Prior]_ **

_ Darkness. Silence. Isolation. _

_ He's been locked in solitary confinement for three days now. A timeframe that in the past would pass in the blink of an eye, but Shadow of the present sees it crawl by excruciatingly slow.  _

_ Deprivation of stimulus is familiar, the same torture it used to be before being granted limited freedoms, but the lack of socialisation grates on his sanity. He misses having a reason to talk and be attentive, Maria's demure sense of humour and soft laugh, and he's disconcerted by the awareness he's incapable of helping should she fall ill. _

_ Moreover, his unattended mind roams freely, the silence drawing memories from his past to the forefront; phantom pains from tests long since completed plague his body, muscles cry in new and old fatigue, and aching bones disobey his need to move. His mind remains crisp and clear, though, and it's this that betrays him as soon as it's left to its own devices.  _

'What a failure.'

_ Shadow clenches his jaw and closes his eyes, desperate to ignore the niggling voice Maria's kindness kept at bay. His heart beats a samba while he anxiously awaits the glare of the lights heralding the next battery of physical and mental tests sure to leave him exhausted in every facet, a punishment for his many sins. _

_ Three days ago, he was discovered by a lab tech masturbating in a closet, enough of a sin in itself without Maria's likeness in his free hand. With his abilities when cornered well known amongst the inhabitants of the ARK the man had fled, but Shadow already knew there was no way he could silence the man, and discrediting him was near impossible. _

_ Nausea pressing up his gullet and guilt flooding his brain, he didn't even have the drive to finish anymore, instead following the man's flight path through metal corridors in resignation. _

_ The Professor had been predictably angry, for not only had he broken a cardinal rule, he had done so while defiling his granddaughter's image. Shadow learned the girl was still years from being of age by human standards and also learned a new word, one his own role model spat at him with disgust. _

'Paedophile.' 

_ He digs his claws into the base of his metal cot, it and the old blankets bundled inside the only comfort Gerald had afforded him. Would Maria be told he'd used her picture in such away? Could she forgive him if she knew his ignorance? Moreover, could he be labelled as such if he hadn't known the boundaries existed? _

_ The humans seem to think so, reverting his treatment back to the very first days he was conscious, before speech and understanding were instilled. Except now he understands why, and guilt burns in his stomach, keeps him from eating even with the extra inhibitor stifling ambient Chaos secured around his neck _

'He's abandoned you. They all have.'

_ The hybrid's next breath is shaky and emotional, a pit forming in his chest as his ears fold back. A lump in his throat won't go away no matter how hard he tries, mind swirling with the connotations of being left as a lab rat for the rest of his life. _

'But who can blame them? You deserve nothing more, a failed project with no self control. You're lucky he didn't terminate you on the spot.'

_ "Shut up," Shadow replies under his breath, a refusal to seem weak the only barrier keeping him from weeping. He'd rather be dead than a pet project, death and dissection more appealing than a long life of medical procedures and tests. _

_ He can almost hear the laugh echo in his skull, humourless and dry.  _ Too late.

_ For what? To not seem weak, or avoid being a lab rat? The answer doesn't matter: a seething anger clouds his vision and he's on his feet, lifting the heavy cot clean off the floor and launching it at the wall not four paces away. _

_ "I said shut  _ up!" 

_ It's the crash of steel on steel that brings him sharply back to reality, a high-pitched scrape that rings through his bones from skull to bare toe-claws. Chest heaving, Shadow takes three steps back and slumps against the far wall, bundling himself into the furthest corner from the cot with an apathetic expression, though his raised quills tell of an acute emotional arousal beneath. _

_ He doesn't remember much of anything after: An alarm, the searing pain of a taser set to kill any normal Mobian, and a blissful darkness. When Shadow wakes, his cot and blankets are gone and his arms are restrained behind him, so tight his shoulders already ache. _

_ Unable to stir any emotion he sits still and quiet until his next examination, staring blindly at the wall ahead as laughter continues to taunt him. It goes unheard by any other who came close enough to check his vitals and iris responses. _

_ He fears his own sanity slowly slipping away, and Shadow thinks the humans do too, from the frowns on their faces and the reduction in tests. Still, he lets them worry, because his instability is directly their fault. _

_ Perhaps madness would be easier than this... _

oOoOo  
  


**_DAY 5_ **

**_[09:43; Bathroom]_ **

It's only once the memory ends Shadow realises he's crying, both the sound and evidence effectively drowned out by the shower. He takes a deep, steeling breath and rests his sore head against the cool shower tiles, panting hard in both shock at the flashback and pain as the headache fades.

He hasn't heard the voice in some time, not since finding purpose in GUN and friendship in Rouge, but the last few days with Sonic have brought it all back; the self-depreciation, a cold laughter that bounced about his skull, and an emptiness no amount of knowledge could ever fill.

_ Filthy Mobian. _

Feeling dirty anew with guilt and regret, the hybrid finally begins to wash himself, unsure of how long as passed since he turned the shower on, and fifteen minutes later still feels unclean when he steps out to put on a pot of coffee, pausing to stare at his red-ringed crimsons in the small cabinet mirror over the sink. 

With no desire to face his past and an acute awareness it can  _ only  _ get worse from here on out, only one solution presents itself. Shadow isn't sure why it makes him feel sick all over again, but it's the only out he can think of. 

This relationship had to end, and it had to end  _ today, _ before Sonic got too interested in his past. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow doesn't like emotions.  
> He prefers to kick them out.

**_BURN OUT (OVERVIEW; M)_ **

_ Burn out in male Mobians is a short-lived Heat that occurs in the last week for unmated males, or after fertilisation in paired males, usually lasting for seven days.  _

_ While the severity of a Burn Out varies between individuals, it is considered the most intense portion of the Heat for every male of any Mobian species, should be approached with preparation and caution, as with the female Heat Cycle, though Patriarchal groups rarely occur. _

_ Most males will simply hole up in their own homes for this last week, relying on the absence of females and taught coping strategies to manage their urges. Some will even remain in Heat Mate pairs, if they believe themselves able to keep a relationship functioning in a healthy manner. _

_ Unmated and unpaired males are at the most risk of struggling to cope with these impulses, the lack of adequate tension release during the prior three weeks cumulating in aggression, Prowling Behavior enacted against either gender encountered, and in the worst cases kidnap, rape and imprisonment of an unwilling partner. _

_ Males who believe they're in a dangerous mental state are encouraged to request admittance to the nearest hospital or psychiatric facility, where subsidised care and medication can be administered to prevent such loss of inhibitions or morality. _

_ As with female offenders, certain leniancies are in place to protect those lost in a Heat Haze, and limited legal action can be taken against them if such an affliction can be proven. Males afflicted with the Haze are not expected to pay child support for any kits that result, though they do not have prescience over a female should she opt to keep a kit created in such a manner. _

* * *

  
**_DAY 5_ **

**_[10:59; Living Room]_ **

"What? Why?"

The azure had just rolled out of bed and gone to wish his host good morning, only to be informed Shadow wanted him gone by nightfall. "Is it about the socks in the bathroom? Because I totally meant to pick those up! And it was only-"

"It's  _ not _ about your damn socks," the ebony interrupts, though a wrinkle of his nose leaves Sonic unsure whether he's lying or not. "I've thought about the Heat Mate arrangement we've established, and have determined it detrimental to future relations in the field."

Sonic almost laughs, but manages to reduce it to a snort of amusement. "Bullshit."

Shadow would be proud were he not on the receiving end, though in this instance his ears fold back and his neutral scowl becomes one loaded with distaste. "For the last time, Faker, it does  _ not _ regard your  _ disgusting _ socks."

"Oh, I know." The statement seems to catch the ebon off guard; there's a waver in his ears, an uneasy flex of spines a low growl tries to cover, but Sonic's getting adept at spotting the elder's subtle tells. 

"It's the whole future part I don't believe," the cerulean clarifies. "Because you wake up every morning in apparent ignorance of the day before, even when we got  _ frisky _ , so I doubt pretending it never happened in the future will be an issue for you, right?"

The growl raises from irritation to warning, dark lips parted to bare sharp canines.  _ Chaos, it's like trying to bleed a rock… _

"I'm not trying to get under your skin, I'm trying to  _ understand _ . I mean, almost everyone's a little weird about it their first Heat, but you're on a whole new level of your own."

"Regardless of your intentions, you irritate me." His tone is sincere enough to hurt like a slap across the face. "Now  _ leave _ ."

Sonic can't keep the frown from his muzzle, but it's of concern not hurt. He regards the ebony as his friend before anything else, someone he cares for deeply, wishing him nothing but wellbeing. Shadow has always been an outlier when it comes to normal, but all his physical or emotional responses over the last few days have been weird, even by his standards. 

It has Sonic concerned, and with that thought he makes a decision; his body unconsciously shifts to centre his core, planting a stance with slightly bent knees to prepare for the hybrid's inevitably aggressive response. 

"No."

Crimson orbs narrow, and a shot of adrenaline snakes up his spine as Shadow carefully places his book aside and stands. There's twelve feet and a coffee table between them, a distance either of them could cross in a millisecond even with an obstacle, and Sonic hasn't formulated a plan yet.

"Last chance, Sonic." The hybrids calm voice is as strange as his use of the cerulean's real name. "Leave, before I make you."

The coward inside screams at Sonic to run, to do as he's bid and leave. He habitually smothers the fear with a smirk that only seems to anger the ebony further, an internal fire prepping his muscles for the combat it knows he'll sprint headfirst into. 

"I'd like to see you try."

Shadow moves first, though only as a figure of speech. He's gone from across the room and beside the azure in less than a blink, the pair's decision not to bother holding back against one another still ringing true.

Unfortunately, his rival has enough experience with his style to predict the move, already dropping back into a crab as the fist comes for his muzzle. It swings past without contact, a  _ whoosh _ of air following its wake at the sheer speed of the move, and Sonic can only be grateful he's just as fast.

He goes straight from a crab to a handstand, using his superior flexibility to his advantage as strong legs wrap around the failed left hook. Shadow fights against the momentum but he's already unbalanced, unable to keep from tumbling face-first towards the floor.

The  _ smack _ his face makes with the floorboards is satisfying, even if it's just the first blood.

Sonic detangles himself quickly, his opponent just as swift in rolling to his back and firing a Chaos Spear. The azure yelps and bends away, feeling the hot static skim just a millimetre from his flesh melt and burn the fur of his hip.

The Spear collides with the sliding doors that separate the study from the living room, a  _ chink _ of glass enough to draw Sonic's focus back in concern of damage. Thankfully - and likely due to its angry resident - it seems to be reinforced, a small chip the only damage the wayward attack has inflicted.

Using the distraction to his advantage, Shadow closes the gap between them almost silently. His next left hook almost makes direct contact with the azure's muzzle before getting caught instead in a fist, though Sonic can't keep a grimace from his lips when the bones in his hand  _ crack  _ beneath the force.

Maintaining a cool facade is harder in a fight, but Sonic's had plenty of practice over the years. His grin creeps back onto his muzzle as they hold their shaking stalemate, neither is able to destabilise the other, and he gets a buzzing thrill when the ebon's scowl deepens in response.

"You're getting rusty," he taunts, expecting the bared fangs and irritated snarl before they come, then allows his grin to drop to mild sincerity. "Or I really did get under your skin, because you're lying to me. So what's this really about?"

The headbutt is unexpected, the sudden contact enough to make him see stars. If he weren't gripping Shadow's fist he might have stumbled. Instead his counter force weakens and he's on his knees before he can recover, a significantly weaker position with the ebony towering above.

His kick is an easy prediction that isn't as easy to avoid. Aimed directly at his throat and no doubt extremely disabling if not deadly, Sonic is forced into the next trick; still on his knees he bends backwards, thighs pressing against calves as the metal skate scrapes across his cheek, missing its mark.

As as it  _ clacks _ against the floorboard above his head he makes his move, slapping his other hand around Shadow's fist and wrenching his upper body down. His legs part as he's effectively made to do the splits over the azure beneath and to his credit, the ebon keeps his balance. 

Right up until he's elbowed in the groin.

Releasing his fist, Sonic lets him fall to the side with the grace of a sack of potatoes. It's only now he realises how hard his breaths are, or acknowledges the adrenaline shake in his limbs. Still he forces himself to all fours, ready to pin the hybrid down if he has to, only to stop short in equal parts concern and confusion.

Despite the agonising pain he knows Shadow must be in, he seems to have begun to get up and then simply… stopped. Sonic can hear him breathing deep and shaky, but it's only after he moves to help the hedgehog up he realises he isn't simply overexerted.

The fur on his cheek is wet, and it takes Sonic a full ten seconds to realise they're  _ tears _ . He immediately feels guilty for elbowing him, and his ears flatten to his skull. " _ Chaos _ , Shads, I didn't mean to hit you  _ that _ hard. Let me-"

"Don't. Fucking.  _ Touch me." _

Sonic recoils like he's bitten, breath catching in his throat as a wet crimsons rotate to regard him not with the expected contempt but emotional exhaustion, Shadow's tone eerily soft. "Is this what you wanted, Hedgehog? To humiliate me for your own amusement?"

"What? No!" Nausea rolls in the azure's gut, because Shadow never looked defeated, and certainly  _ never  _ cried. Right? "I just… what I said earlier was the truth, okay? I just want to help, and to do that, I need to understand, and if I left when you asked I couldn't do either."

Shadow tisks and looks away, a stupidly normal response for the ebon in contrast to his damp cheek fur. "Don't bother," he states flatly, oddly calm as he slowly gets back to his feet with more than a single wince of pain. "There are others far more deserving of your concern."

"Bullshit."

The word makes Shadow pause in his slow progress to the kitchen. Eyes never leaving his dark fur, it gives the azure time to regain his own feet and take a moment to order his thoughts, not that he needs to when being sincere. 

"Everyone deserves to be happy, Shadow." He doesn't respond, doesn't even glance over his shoulder at the use of his full name, so Sonic attempts a more dangerous tact he knows will get a reply. "Maria wanted you to be happy. She wanted you to  _ live _ , not fester all alone in an expensive house."

"She never knew what I did, either." Shadow speaks so softly, Sonic has to strain his ears to catch every word until he finally looks to the azure with a blank expression. The anger in his eyes has completely extinguished, an empty resignation in its place that sends a chill through his rival's spine.

"Tell me, Faker, are you aware of the atrocities I have commited in others' names?" Sonic's muscles tense without asking permission, which only seems to fuel him on. "All I did for Eggman? For GUN? Would you still believe me deserving of happiness, if I told you?"

"Yes." 

The answer is fast because it's truthful, every moral chord in Sonic's body singing with certainty as he takes a step closer to Shadow. "Everyone does things they regret.  _ I've  _ done things I'd take back in a heartbeat." 

The ebon scoffs and turns away, but Sonic doesn't let it deter him, a brief pause before he adds with veiled uncertainty: "You're my friend. Maybe not one of the oldest but certainly one of my closest. Of course I want you to be happy, and I'm not saying that just to get laid."

Moments passed in tense silence, but Shadow's light  _ hmph _ of humour before continuing towards the kitchen has Sonic release a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, a drop in pressure in his chest coupled with a burning need for fresh oxygen in his lungs. 

It's progress, tentative but definitive. 

Still, the azure doesn't want to push it too far just yet, so when Shadow heads back to the study with a coffee, he doesn't follow, staying near enough invisible for the rest of the day, out on runs or hanging out in the guest room, earbuds in and music turned up.

He doesn't seek him out for meals, either, just in case the ebony had a change of heart. After all, he's already shaken the hornet's nest enough for one morning.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peace & Reconciliation  
> Hedgehog style.

**_INVOLUNTARY MEDICAL ADMITTANCE_ **

_ synonyms: forced intervention; section; "de-flea" _

_ Formally known as a Section, it is the practice of forcefully admitting Mobians to psychiatric and medical facilities for "Mobian Monthly Madness" has existed for centuries.  _

_ Despite changes of terms for Triple M - such as "the Haze" - there still exists a stigma in both Human and Mobian societies against those who seek intervention. It reflects weakness, a poor grasp of emotion and self-control, and an inability to form lasting, healthy relationships. _

_ Due to these misconceptions, it's more common for Mobians of both genders and all orientations to be admitted in The Haze than through their own choice. To combat this, heavy subsidies have been introduced for those who willingly submit to medical intervention to reduce individual debt and liability claims at the conclusion of [Heat]. _

_ Reservations around medical intervention have begun to lift with famous Mobians using services openly. To this end, special attention has been paid to diffusing detrimental Human attitudes towards the Heat and its necessities, who are most often to blame for perpetuating outdated attitudes towards Mobian practices.  _

_ Unfortunately, with derogatory nicknames for medical assistance that associate primitive extant creature rituals to these practices, such as "de-flea" as a synonym for sections, negative associations are expected to persist for decades to come. _

* * *

  
**_DAY 6_ **

**_[17:42; Hallway]_ **

Giving the front door a gentle push, Sonic sighs in relief when it yields to the subtle pressure and wastes no time letting himself in. Well cared for, the door doesn't as much as squeak as he slips inside and closes it again, manually working the catch to reduce the usual  _ clunk _ of the lock to a soft  _ click _ of metal.

He'd snuck out in the early afternoon, while Shadow had been preoccupied with a phone call in the study, and had almost expected the ebon to take the door off the latch in his absence. It would've left him locked out, a definitive end to the strange relationship they'd begun almost a week earlier, and he would've had to voluntarily admit himself to the hospital for lack of a place to stay.

A part of Sonic - oddly,  _ not _ the part that hates endless white walls and sterile smells - is glad he didn't, though he's hesitant to acknowledge why, or its connotations. Sure they're rivals, maybe even friends, but Sonic knows the stirring warmth in his chest isn't the same glow of the satisfying platonic closeness he has with Tails.

No, this one is deeper, almost a longing for the darker hedgehog that burns like indigestion. It makes Sonic uncomfortable because he's felt it only once before; when he had the biggest crush on Sally, Princess of the Acorn Kingdom.

Fondness. Closeness _. Love? _

He pushes the emotion away with a slight shake of the head and slips off his sneakers, balancing on one leg while using the opposite hand to pry the worn material off. Then he shifts the six-pack of soda under an arm and pads to the kitchen, planning to pop them in the fridge for later.

A few days ago, he would've claimed the ebony not capable of the level of affection needed to love, but after the tears yesterday the certainty has been shaken. Shadow has an emotional understanding the azure didn't expect, and he feels ignorant for disregarding his complexity as inability.

It makes him feel like a crappy friend, but it also fuels his determination, because whether he can love or not, Shadow still deserves to be happy.

He's passing the living room when he stops abruptly to sniff, his nose already identifying the delicious smells in the air when his brain catches up.  _ Greasy crust, cheese, tomatoes, oregano, pepperoni and… hot dogs? _

"Dinner." 

Shadow's voice draws the azure's gaze to the living room, where a nineteen inch box eludes to an eighteen inch pizza rests on the coffee table. He looks past it to the dark hedgehog sitting awkwardly on the edge of his seat, hands on his knees and lips pressed into a fine line. 

Sonic lets a nervous smile touch his lips as he motions to the box with his free hand. "Pizza?"

"Reconciliation," the ebon replies softly, and red irises meet green for a moment before they slide to the cans under his arm, then flicker back to Sonic's face. "Drinks?"

Blinking, the azure glances down to the soda then holds them up with a soft chuckle. "Peace Soda. I've heard it goes great with the Pizza of Reconciliation. Thought we could give it a go."

Something in the air shifts, unspoken but still profound, and the hybrid's body seems to uncoil in that moment; his hunch becomes a slouch before he leans back in his armchair, folding his arms across his chest, and a subtle smirk ghosts across his muzzle as he looks to the television.

Taking his complacency as acceptance Sonic deposits himself on the sofa, snaps a can free of the half-dozen and offers it to his rival. Once he notices, Shadow leans to take it and their gazes meet, an unintentional silent exchange that feels strangely intimate for a passing glance before the ebony settles back in his seat.

Snagging another can Sonic pops the tab and leans back on the sofa. Resting his calf on a knee and sipping the sugary beverage, he pauses with the can halfway from his lips and stares as Shadow steadily downs an entire soda.

"Whoa, easy Shads." The ebony lowers his can with a deliberate slowness, staring down at the empty canister with what can only be described as childish wonder. "You'll crash harder than a caffeine withdrawal if you drink it like that."

Shadow looks up with an awed curiosity. "What is this substance? Liquified candy?"

Maintaining his composure for three seconds, Sonic soon dissolves into laughter, the prospect he'd never tried soda incomprehensible to the outgoing hero. Most of a pizza, hours explaining modern Human sugar dependence and a much slower consumption of a second soda later, they finally settle back into serenity.

But Sonic is just happy to enjoy Shadow's calm, stable company - whatever their relationship is becoming - for the next few hours.

oOoOo

**_[21:15; Living Room]_ **

It wasn't intentional. Quite the opposite, in fact.

With stomachs full of pizza and fizz, Sonic had been certain the last thing he or the ebony would want to do was something sexual. He hoped for another evening to sift through his own recent revelations, and allow Shadow more time to willingly open up, rather than getting dragged out of his shell by necessity as the Heat raged.

Except Shadow keeps sitting with his legs splayed, and while he might not be aroused, his sheath is clearly visible between dark thighs. Sonic struggles to keep his gaze above waist-height, and has even more trouble remaining discreet, but after an hour of resisting temptation he finally succumbs to instinct.

He downs the last of his soda, places the can on the coffee table with measured care and subtly studies his quarry from the corner of his eye. Shadow remains oblivious, leaning back in his armchair with his attention on the television, toned thighs still spread for comfort.

Taking the opportunity, Sonic drops to his knees between the elders legs. Muzzle barely an inch from Shadow's groin, his intoxicating musk only arouses the azure, intensifying the heat already pooling in his groin.

Thick thigh muscles tense beneath his touch, but Shadow's jerk of surprise is quickly settled by a few firm, moist licks across his sheath, and Sonic murrs in appreciation as his rival slowly relaxes into the attention with a deep, needy groan.

Glistening emeralds gaze through short lashes, meeting the intense desire shimmering in crimsons that cause the hero's cock to throb and swell in his sheath. He takes a mawful of Shadow's sensitive flesh and suckles his pouch, hot tongue dipping within to tease his hardening manhood out.

" _ Hhnng _ . S-Sonic..."

The hybrid shudders and limpens in surrender, eyes fluttering closed and head lolling back as his breaths deepen. Sonic massages his bulging pouch with firm, moist strokes until his tip slips free, a hiss of breath from the ebon's throat, a thin string of cum linking his aching tip to ebony groin fur.

Sonic moves straight to his exposed penile slit, lavishing it with attention, savouring the whimpers, and gasps. Drinking in the submissive vulnerability that Sonic is beginning to find addictive, he swirls his tongue around the ebon's bulbous head greedily lapping up the salty seed leaking from his mate's twitching cock. 

_ The Ultimate Lifeform, reduced to a whining, sticky mess by my tongue... How intoxicating.  _

When he takes another glance at his partner, Shadow is the picture of submissive pleasure - his head thrown back and chest heaving for air, the rise and fall of his tuft of white hypnotic as his athletic frame shudders beneath Sonic's attention - and the azure can barely hold back the urge to take him fully, then and there.

A hand tugs weakly at cerulean quills while the other clutches at an armrest, claws flexing against the coarse material. Shadow gives himself freely, trusting his mate to be compassionate, and Sonic can't bring himself to violate his trust even with Heat zinging through his veins.

Then a different plan forms in its wake, and the hero's tailhole starts to  _ ache _ in anticipation. 

With few inhibitions personally, he sets about bringing the prospect to reality, rationing the attention he gives Shadow's rod and beginning to rapidly pump his own erection. He needs time to prepare, or this is going to hurt like nothing he's ever endured before.

Shadow's hips buck in rebellion against the loss of sensation, and Sonic bites back laughter at his impatience and presses the first few inches of his manhood past peach lips. Renewed licks and sucks draw shudders from the ebon's frame and he relaxes, seemingly pacified a little longer.

The burning pleasure in Sonic's penis grows in intensity as his own finger prods the ring of muscles beneath his tail. He whines with his mate when they flex and quiver in peculiar pleasure, Sonic now understanding why males explored this far back, and the anticipation of something larger filling his ass only riles him more.

Forcing himself to relax, he pushes a tentative finger past the tight ring of his anus, the foreign sensation that follows as odd as it is enjoyable. His thick, muscular internal walls grip the digit, sending little waves of bliss directly into his abused dick before dissipating into his thighs.

Experimentally, he draws the finger most of the way back out and pushes it back inside with a little more force. The sensations that follow drag a long, low moan from his chest, and he has to slow his other hand not to cum then and there, needing more time to fully prepare.

Adding another finger increases the pressure and associated strange pleasure, the tightness of his anal canal both concerning and a major turn-on; a third finger makes his manhood pulse with arousal, while pumping them into his ass brings waves of heat that pool far too quickly in his nethers.

Entranced by his own ministrations, he almost forgets  _ why _ he has three fingers curling inside his back passage, and he's on the verge of falling head-first into oblivion when it hits him. 

With no time to prepare he releases Shadow's tip with a pressurised  _ pop _ , straightens up and poorly aims his pulsating cock. Asshole clenching his fingers almost painfully, he can't keep the cry of passion that follows inside.

" _ Haaaah! _ "

Sonic buckles forwards, barely holding himself upright as his climax crashes down. Shudders wrack his body and his breath hitches, thick streams of hot, sticky seed bursting from his tip and soaking Shadow's erection and groin with every drop of cum he can milk.

"Jesus  _ Christ, _ " the ebon comments huskily. Sonic feels his anus contract lethargically at the ebon's breathless baritone. Abused fingers still rested deep within his ass, Sonic manages to look to his partner as he catches his breath, flustered warmth beneath ebony fur burning like a beacon as he roughly jerks himself. "What a fucking  _ mess _ …"

The cerulean doesn't feel satiated; as those moist fingers slip from his ass with a whisper of bliss, he's impatient to feel something more. Climbing into Shadow's lap, he plants a knee either side of the obsidian's thighs and reaches for his aching rod, the elder's hips thrusting impatiently for release by simple contact.

"S-Sonic..?" 

His vague question is answered physically the pink head of his pulsing cock pressed to a quivering ring, and the contact makes them both groan in unison. Raw, sensitive flesh slickened with their own sexual fluids glide past each other, leaving burning arousal in their wake.

A silence punctuated by heavy breaths follows, emeralds locked to crimsons as understanding passes between them. Sonic is as patient as he's able to be with a cock brushing his asshole, willing Shadow to want this as much as he does, to give his consent.

Shadow swallows nervously, fingers skimming through cerulean fur as he moves to hold his hips. Crimson orbs drink in the hedgehog's lithe waist and shivering form, fur damp with sweat and breaths deep with need.

Then, regardless of his moral compass, he gives a halting nod. 

Sonic can't keep a smile from his muzzle, emotions he can't place flooding his chest and buzzing in his veins from quills to toe-claws intensified by the nervous smirk Shadow mirrors back. Just the smile has Sonic semi-hard again, so strange yet alluring to see on the stoic hybrid. 

Resisting the urge to stick his tongue down the ebon's throat, he tries to relax his sphincter and very carefully begins lowering himself onto Shadow's pulsing member.

A searing pain is the first sensation, a burn that floods through his entire ass as Shadow's head pushes past his virgin ring. A lot thicker than his fingers, Sonic feels uncomfortably full with only an inch of the ebony's cock resting in his anal cavity, and despite trying to relax his tailhole spasms as his body adjusts to the intrusion. 

A new wave of pain cascades through his pelvis with every added inch; back arched in discomfort, breath hitching in his throat and tears threaten to fall, his whole existence has been engulfed by a deep, searing pain in his nethers. He doesn't notice Shadow's fingers entwine with azure headquills, nor delicate touch between his shoulder blades. Sonic whimpers in self-pity even as he's drawn into a warm embrace, core muscles quaking and clinging to his partner.

Shadow's grooming is the first sensation to pull at his awareness, the slow and meticulous drag of a moist tongue through his neck fur in affectionate, calming repetition. Sonic clings to it, letting the residual chill dampness and firm laps at his throat consume his attention.

Next comes the murr resonating deep within the ebon's chest, a reassuring rumble of  _ comfort _ and  _ safety _ slowly uncoiling the azure's muscles. 

With Shadow's entire length buried inside his rear, the hybrid's calming behaviours reduce the pain to a dull throb deep within the azure. For a moment, they're as close to one another as they could ever be, frozen in contentment, feeling completeness.

Despite the lingering pain Sonic finally shifts in his lap, not expecting his insides to  _ sing _ with pleasure as he rocks on the hybrid's rod. The ebon's husky groan confirms he didn't expect it either, so Sonic takes it slow, shivering when his tip slides through Shadow's stomach fur, the soft caress another layer of inexplicable bliss. 

He's already breathless, his fur matted with sweat and thin lines of his own semen, usually pert ears drooping and their tips flushed a deep red. Even going painfully slow, his climax is coming too fast, forcing Sonic to pause and fall away from orgasm.

More desperate to reach his finale, Shadow responds with impatience; ebony claws dig into Sonic's flesh, holding him steady as he begins to thrust his hips up into his mate, grunting with effort and stimulation while going as hard and fast as he can.

Pleasure and pain blend into an intoxicating sensation for Sonic, who's soon reduced to a whimpering mess. He wedges his forehead into Shadow's neck and relents what little control he previously had, willing to be driven to another blinding release. Every slap of obsidian balls against skin, each thrust of Shadow's rock-solid manhood into his tight asshole, and the bounce of his leaking rod leaving webs of cum between their stomachs, drives them both closer to an inevitable conclusion they both crave.

Shadow's hips become erratic, low whines and growls slipping through clenched teeth as he gets too close to let his pinnacle slip away. His abuse of the cerulean's aching anus doesn't let up, and the constant stimulation is soon too much for Sonic to overcome.

"Sh-Shads! I c-cant-! I'm gonna-!"

His peach cock explodes before he can finish, thin ribbons of semen shooting into ebon and cerulean fur, joining the sticky mess already gluing their chests into clumps. Sonic can barely cope, a second orgasm deep within his anus clamping Shadow's length shooting explosive bliss through his core, reducing him to a whimpering puddle of pleasure.

Manhood squeezed harder than ever before, Shadow's pushed over his own edge; his back arches and he presses his rod deep inside his mate with a possessive snarl, reams of cum spurting out of his tip and flood Sonic's virgin ass.

Coating every available surface, semen spills back out hot and fresh, dripping down his dark, pulsing manhood and onto the armchair below.

Unable to remain upright, Sonic collapses onto his chest without care for the mess, ebon and azure meshed by sweat and exhaustion. Every nerve in his groin and anus are ablaze, pleasantly sore and far more satiated than he's been all week. 

He can feel exhaustion claiming him, clawing at the edges of his consciousness as he nestles into the ebony's chest fur, and Sonic doesn't care to fight it, not with Shadow's contented murr bringing him closer to sleep.

Sonic copies the soft rumble of happiness instinctively while still conscious, his universe safety, comfort and the damp, musky scent of recent sex. Shadow scratches behind an azure ear lazily, likely also close to passing out in their gentle embrace, two Heat Mates finally completely satiated.

Moments later, Sonic surrenders to oblivion without a care on Mobius.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotional conflicts and soppy confessions.

**_TRAP_ ** **TREATMENT**

 **_T_ ** _estosterone_ **_R_ ** _eceptor_ **_A_ ** _ntagonist_ **_P_ ** _rotein_

_A relatively new treatment for male Burnout, Testosterone Receptor Antagonist Protein (TRAP) is a complex, folded protein molecule derived from a faulty testosterone gene._

_First isolated in male Mobian adults exhibiting female secondary sex characteristics (breast growth, fur thickening patterns, ect) at the onset of puberty, TRAP is a ninety-four percent accurate biological analog for testosterone, excluding the antigen for activating intercellular responses_

_Simply, TRAP binds to and blocks testosterone receptors, simulating testosterone production on receptor cells, minus the micro- and macro- cellular responses aggravated by the Burnout period; possessiveness, marking, prowling, aggression, and the domination and/ or rape of sexual partners are all reduced or absent in males who produce - or take - TRAP._

_While still prescribed only in severe cases, the initial reception has been successful, with over eighty-five percent of treated males showing reduced aggression, burnout behaviours and forceful copulation. In the next few years, it's hoped TRAP will be the standard treatment in asylums and hospitals for males during Heat, and may even lead to effective self-medication at home once approved for personal use._

* * *

**DAY 7**

**_[10:18; Study]_ **

Shadow has a complicated relationship with silence, one he's never managed to reconcile. 

When contented, the peace and quiet became enjoyable. A relief from the constant training and demands of experiments on the ARK, and in more recent times a reprieve from Towers' incessant schedules, retiring to the study and burying his nose in a book is a relaxing escape from the daily monotony of work.

Though after the last week of activities with Sonic, the peace has devolved into a constant conflict between nature and nurture.

Memories come unbidden; the tightness of Sonic's ass, the _desire_ in his emerald eyes as he brushed Shadow's dick against his sensitive tailhole, the _need_ in the look they shared. All of it flares an emotion he isn't familiar with, one that flushes his cheeks and ear tips a deep red rivalling his own crimson streaks in vividity.

He doesn't feel shame when focusing on it, its heat simmering beneath his pelt rather than the hot burn of embarrassment. But if it isn't either of those, what is it? Arousal hangs at the edge of the emotion, each rendition of the sexual act bringing a new wave of warmth and… Happiness? Affection? Or something deeper than either of those?

There's parallels with how Maria used to make him feel. Warmth, comfort, contentment. It's been so long since he was last happy, it's hard to recall what it feels like, but the descriptive feels right in this instance. Being with Sonic, having sex with him, has made him _happy_.

Was that what the Heat did? Transform sex into an euphoric experience with far-reaching after-effects? Or was this feeling an extension of something else entirely?

 _We had sex_. 

Reality hits him some time after the initial rationalisation, giving the ebon pause. Crimson eyes glaze and he stares blankly at the text in his lap, an odd tightness in his lungs; not quite anxiety, but his breath still catches in his throat. 

Sex is supposed to be a special, near-sacred act, and your first time a big deal. Yet he'd handed it over to the azure in the heat of the moment after little consideration.

Shadow supposes he should be bothered his rival took his virginity, but he isn't, and that's more of a surprise than realising they'd done the act itself. When the idiot's face comes to mind it only intensifies his content calmness, the warmth a distracting completeness he can't do justice to with words.

_'Disgusting.'_

At the internal comment, nausea rolls through his stomach and the warmth starts to fade. Emotions tempered, the slight smile on his lips returns to the disgruntled frown they usually hold, crashing the hybrid abruptly back to his senses and the morals instilled in his youth.

He shouldn't be happy if he listens to Gerald's teachings. Sonic may have consented, but the hybrid still sodomized the younger Mobian. Sin in the eyes of Maria, his elderly caretaker and the God he was taught to follow, and a willing step towards damnation by his undeniably Mobian physiology.

_'You can be damned together. The sinner and his accomplice, in Hell for all eternity.'_

He swallows hard, his mouth dry, because the last thing Sonic deserves is damnation. He sees naivety in the youngster, a disregard for consequence in the cheerfully carefree throes of youth. 

The prospect of dragging the azure down with him sobers the ebony's euphoria to a dull ache in his ribs. Shadow sighs softly, closes the book in his lap and hunches forwards, pinching the deep inner corners of his eyes. _Do I even deserve to feel happy, after all I've done?_

It would make sense for a vindictive God to curse him with sinful desire, an active rebuttal against his actions or even his existence itself, as a creature created by Humans. Sonic might think otherwise, but the logic makes sense to the hybrid, bringing a renewed flash of shame for drawing his rival down the same path of sin.

"Shads?" 

He straightens, arm dropping into his lap as he regards the cerulean with tired eyes. Sonic seems agitated, eyes roaming the room a sure sign he's twitchier than usual, his head poked through a small space between the sliding glass door and it's frame. "You got a minute? Because I think we need to talk…"

What happened last night can be the only thing on the hero's mind, a deduction confirmed by his restless fingers drumming on the glass. 

With his own self-depreciation and the voice's confirmation of those impressions still fresh in his mind, the last thing Shadow wants to do is talk about it. Looking down and opening the textbook again, his response is short and terse, his tone one he'd adopted in GUN for commanding cadets. "Now isn't a good time, Faker."

The sliding door closes with a gentle click, and for a few seconds he thinks that's it, that Sonic has taken the hint and gotten lost for a while. When Shadow hears him sit heavily in a chair, he looks to the cerulean with a scowl, irritation he wasn't heeded clearly audible in his tone. "I _said_ -"

"I know what you said," Sonic interrupts, his own gaze set in a sincerity that catches the ebony off guard, silencing his rebuttal. "But that's the thing, Shads. There's _never_ gonna be a good time to talk about it, because you're uncomfortable with the topic."

Unable to refute the claim, Shadow narrows his gaze as his ears fold back, quills itching to raise defensively. "Regardless of the unseemly topic, our own circumstances are _worse_ than simple intimacy, Hedgehog. Professor Gerald-"

"Was _Human_ ," the azure intercepts, and a soft growl of annoyance escapes Shadow's throat at being interrupted _again._ "He did his best, but you're not _wired_ to be Human, you're Mobian. Subject to all the needs that go along with it. It's _normal_."

"It isn't normal for _me_ ," he retaliates, dropping his book on the side table with a resounding _thunk_ for emphasis. "And I'd appreciate a level of _respect_ for that from you."

Cerulean ears fold back, his own quills bristling and jaw tight with yet another emotion Shadow can't identify. "I didn't pin you up against the wall and grind my dick into your groin. Nor did I fuck your ass so hard, it's still sore over twelve hours later. That was _you_ , Shads. Just another Mobian trying to deal with Heat in a responsible way."

Flashes of last night surface again; licking the azure's neck to soothe him, the constriction of his girth beyond anything he'd ever felt before, the completeness he felt simply being buried so deep inside the young hedgehog's ass, his balls brushed up against cerulean fur. 

"Shut _up,_ Faker."

It's getting harder to deny his willingness with every moment, because Sonic hadn't _taken_ his virginity, nor had he forced any response over the last week. Shadow had reacted first with lust and then with need, handing his virginity over to someone he trusted, had sex with a hedgehog he'd begun to care deeply for.

"No. I won't shut up." Sonic shifts in his chair, but Shadow doesn't look up from his hands, not even when the azure's tone turns so soft it's almost a whisper. "Last night, when we made love, it felt… _I_ felt... like I never have before, Shadow. I just want… I want to ask if you felt something too..?"

_Made love._

Rouge had tried to describe the difference between sex that was _just sex_ , and sex she saw as _making love_ once. He'd ended up more confused than he'd started, unable to determine a tangible difference between the two, but now he's beginning to understand. Emotions were the key; care, concern and desire for an individual turned the act into something more.

Something he'd done with Sonic last night without meaning to, without knowing how important it was. It had been lustful and needy but they'd _made love_ , and in turn everything between them became a hundred times more complex than before.

He wants to be angry, to shout and snarl at the hero for his honesty. How satisfying it would be to pin him to the floor and beat him to a bloody pulp for suggesting the debauchery they had shared, that he'd consented to, was anything more than raging hormones and a Mobian inability to remain unblemished until marriage.

Except his entire body feels like lead, his jaw slackening slightly while his muscles remain unwilling to move, because it _is_ true. Every single word of it is the honest truth.

"Yes." The admittance of guilt passes his lips before Shadow can censor it, and a crushing sadness follows in its wake. He closes his eyes before Sonic sees the tears building and takes a deep breath, fighting to keep his tone level as every neuron in his brain screams as one in distaste.

"The Professor would be disgusted to learn I even partook, but to have sought the company, to have _enjoyed_ every moment? I can't…"

Unable to put his shame into words he trails off, his next inhale less stable than intended. Slowly shaking his head, feeling sick to his core, the silence gnaws at him, but he daren't look at Sonic directly for fear rejection may cause the last of his resolve to crumble.

This time he's acutely aware of Sonic moving, of the azure kneeling in front of him and the hand on his knee, the cerulean uncharacteristically silent.

A gentle touch of his muzzle is so unexpected and he almost jolts away, the jerk of his body evident even as he suppresses the instinctive response to retreat. Shadow slowly opens his eyes, tearful crimson irises meet soft emeralds glistening with their own unshed tears and the saddest smile he's ever seen on those peach lips.

Fingers slide beneath his muzzle, slightly lifting his chin as a thumb gently wipes wet cheek fur. Silence returns in that moment, but it doesn't cause the hybrid discomfort anymore. Holding Sonic's gaze, seeing his emotions reflected back, the quiet is reassuring, an expanse of… Shadow still isn't sure what the emotion is.

There is no lust or desire, no burning heat that blinds his senses, only that body-wide warmth he'd tried to decipher earlier. _Affection? Love?_

Both words make him nervous, emotions he hasn't bothered with since his days aboard the ARK. The depth of codependence he had with Maria almost destroyed him when she unexpectedly passed; he'd neared mental collapse so many times, for years after he was reawoken.

_'He deserves better, someone capable of love. You are not capable of such connection, Project."_

Shadow doesn't believe the voice speaks truth, but even if he can accept his Mobian heritage, or come to terms with engaging a homosexual relationship, he's anxious. Allowing himself to feel beyond the stubborn loyalty he has for Rouge is a risk, one he isn't sure his sanity can take. _Not again_.

More tears escape, soaking his cheeks fur as he swallows a lump in his gullet, his concerns clawing up his throat to be voiced. "Son-"

Peach lips press to tan, words lost to soft flesh, jade orbs fluttering closed a moment before crimsons follow suite. His skin tastes almost sweet, his pelt the clean scent of freshness, azure fur brushing his lips and chin creating a new, strangely pleasant sensation.

Everything about the contact is new; sensitive skin dancing together without causing arousal, their closeness and wordless affection. Tender contact somehow remains intimate, a chaste innocence of it almost laughable in the face of what they have that neither cares to acknowledge.

The kiss is short and sweet, a mere sample of what they could share. Despite that Shadow is content, core warmed by the elusive emotion only his rival can cause, one he's beginning to crave.

Eyes fluttering open, he's glad to see Sonic is as flustered as he feels; peach cheeks glow with a pink tinge, jade irises fogged over with a similarly confusing emotion. "Sonic-"

"Shh," the azure cut him off soothingly, fingers still grazing damp ebony cheek fur. "Not today, not after all that emotion. Let's just... play some games or go out okay? Have some fun, forget the drama and get a good night's sleep, then we'll talk about it tomorrow. Sound good?"

Shadow doesn't respond, so deep in an emotional rollercoaster he doesn't even flinch when Sonic draws him to a tight embrace, concerned tone not penetrating the ebon's private hell. 

"It's gonna be okay, Shads. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow takes some initiate, sin be damned.

**_CHAOTICISM_ **

_definition: a spirituality shared by most Mobian species/ subspecies, derived from the concept of Chaos and Order established through lore._

_Most famously practiced by the near-extinct Echidna settlements, Chaoticism idolises a deity sharing the same name, Chaos, for the many gifts he has bestowed - earth to walk upon, water that allowed life to thrive, light to warm the pelt and grow foliage to eat..._

_An Echidna Guardian watches His supposed resting place to this day, a prestigious position passed through bloodlines. Guardians are known to be hostile and unresponsive to any Human attempts at contact. As such, Chaos' rumoured rest within the Master Emerald has yet to be confirmed by scientific investigation._

* * *

**_order:_ ** _believed to be the natural state of the world, one entropy drives existence towards wherever chaos does not exist._

 _"Before there was light or sound there was order so deep nothing escaped: atoms remain content as singularities, objects do not form of their own volition, and creatures do not exist. It was a stable and infinite existence of nothing."_ **_[Melantorles; An Echidna Anthology, 1509AD]_ **

* * *

**_chaos_ ** _: everything in existence that is complex in the known universe is derived from Chaos; ores to water, multicellular plants to conscious higher beings, all in constant fluctuation to keep order from returning._

 _"_ _From this order was born Chaos, the child of energy never expended, of ambition never reached, and with Him came chaos itself; atoms so previously content now move, impatient to create complexity, and it is from this chaos all in the universe did come."_ **_[Melantorles; An Echidna Anthology, 1509AD]_ **

* * *

**_DAY 7_ **

**_[18:59; Study]_ **

Even with help, staying occupied for an entire day while plagued with mental turmoil is harder than it first appears. Every moment that lacks stimulus is full of struggle or self-depreciation, and Shadow has difficulty not only keeping his own negative thoughts under control, but also reigning in the inner voice reciting his previous caretakers' sure disappointment in his choices.

Sonic tries his best, replacing emptiness with his own voice as often as possible, but his conversational material soon runs dry, and pockets of silence filled with rumination and confusion plague the ebon's mind. He becomes more withdrawn than usual and retreats to the study without a word soon after, burying himself in another book.

Having exhausted the Human guidebook on Heat and its associated behaviours, Shadow retrieves a second text to peruse.

First published in 1509AD and updated every decade or so, _An Echidna Anthology_ began as a spiritual dissection of the subspecies of Mobian the book was named for. Much of this first installment focused on _Chaoticism_ , with later editions encompassing complex cultural peculiarities Mobians exhibit in all subspecies, and ethical disputes regarding Mobian rights.

The final edition, the one he settles down to read, was printed less than three years ago. Alongside the previous topics, it also tackles the social and political repercussions of _Mobo erectus_ ' recognition as an intelligent species despite their instinctual natures, a subject he's interested in.

Shadow has _so many_ questions he craves the answers to, for his own mental stability and to further his understanding of Mobian nature, in particular the driving forces behind the actions of himself and all other subspecies. 

Namely, he wants to know if nurture can truly overcome nature, or if he was doomed to fail as soon as the Professor brought up God. Had others of his kind been dealt the same hand on Earth? If the answer is yes, did they succeeded? _How_ were such overwhelmingly primal urges to procreate settled without committing sin?

_'It's hardly the urge to procreate, Shadow. You mated with another male, not a viable female.'_

A soft snarl slips past tan lips, but he bites back the retort already in his throat. Overtly reacting to the voice's jibes on the ARK always led to restraints, tranquilizers strong enough to kill grown men and solitary confinement. He'd be branded potentially dangerous until proven sane again, and Shadow has no desire to repeat any of those scenarios.

Especially without Gerald or Maria on hand to manage his treatment. The idea of GUN - of Abraham _himself_ \- being in charge of knocking him out, only to test God-only-knew what on him while he's unconscious, sends a shiver of fear down his spine. 

He takes a steadying breath and draws on the knowledge Abraham won't have the clearance, so long as he behaves. Sonic's reassurances modern Mobians did the same also assists his retort. _Urges drove me to procreate. I coped as expected of a male. Surely that's preferable to forced copulation, criminal charges and unwanted urchins?_

_'Sin is never preferable, only an excuse.'_

Without a response, Shadow adjusts the book in his lap and tries to distract himself, but the words won't come into focus. They dance over the paper with careless abandon until he feels dizzy, whereupon he closes the book with an irritated _snap_ of paper and bindings.

Hunching forwards, the hybrid rests a forearm on a knee and an elbow on the other, pinching the corners of his eyes. Tension continues to build regardless, a dull throb of stress that only adds to his agitation, until he has to either _do_ something, or risk _breaking_ something.

Shadow slams the text onto a side table and abruptly stands. Striding past the azure playing video games in the living room without a word, he heads straight for his most reliable crutch; the coffee pot. A high-pitched ring in his ears creates a buffer of white noise between him and the real world, letting his mind fall blank.

_Three weeks. Just three more weeks and I can go back to work. Three weeks and Sonic will leave, and everything will be back to-_

A touch of his forearm startles the ebon. He whirls on his assailant instantly, ears pressed to his skull and a snarl, Chaos sparks zipping between splayed fingers. The sizzle of energy fractures the static in his ears and allows alert crimsons go return to their usual sharp focus.

Sonic stands six inches away, surprise written on his face and coiled to defend himself on instinct. Shadow scowls at him and balls his left hand abruptly, the energy dying as he turns away again. 

"Return to your game, Faker."

Hormones rapidly bleed out of his system in the aftermath of adrenal hyperarousal, body reduced to a fatigued husk in seconds. He feels inadequate, not a comfortable state for the Ultimate Lifeform; fielding such intense emotional outbursts exhausts him, and having the attentive hero frequently probing his mental state isn't helping.

He's not used to questioning the validity of his own decisions either, the fact he needs to making the GUN agent feel pathetically _mortal_ , for an immortal being. He almost wants to be left alone to fester in self-hatred, the azure's imposition on his personal quandaries undesired. 

"I said your name like, five times." The azure iterates his concern in an understanding tone, not even the subtle accusation of ignorance in his language. It's all sincerity, and Shadow doesn't like it. "You okay?"

"Fine," he lies too quickly, not looking over in case his features refuse to maintain the flimsy facade of calm. "Making coffee."

He can imagine the look on Sonic's face, that frown of worry he always wore when his friends got hurt. But he refuses to admit his own weaknesses, or to turn and face that frown so Sonic can discern them for himself, quietly watching coffee brew instead.

"Well, I just came to grab a soda." Sonic opens the fridge beside him, reaching in as he adds: "But I _did_ just start a new game, and it's got a co-operative campaign. So if you want, after your coffee brews, I could do with a hand."

Sonic doesn't wait for an answer, cracking the can and heading back to the lounge chugging a few mouthfuls in quick succession. Still not looking around, Shadow watches deep brown water hiss from the machine into the glass jug beneath, face fur dampened by steam.

A refusal was on the tip of his tongue, negative reflexivity conditioned by years of self-inflicted isolation, though the thought of returning to the study alone jams the dismissal in his throat. Bitter coffee will keep him distracted until the pot runs out, then he'll be back to ruminating on inflection that's sure to drag his mood down.

_"Unable to bear being alone. Pathetic."_

A flutter of discomfort invades his chest, an anxious tension that spreads motion sickness wherever it migrates. He buries the feelings as deep as mentally possible, pours a fresh coffee and heads for the living room, a sip of the bitter fluid drowning out the invasive internal voice's disappointment.

_"How disappointed Gerald would be…"_

oOoOo

**_DAY 8_ **

**_[06:41; Living Room]_ **

Thoughts come sluggishly the next morning.

Shadow yawns deeply, heavy lids cracking just enough to see, crimson orbs glazed with fatigue. He blinks a number of times, frowning in confusion as dark brows knit together, not expecting to wake in the living room.

Dull yellow of the morning sun cresting the cityscape bathes the room, tiny motes of dust accented as they float through rays of light. It highlights the coffee table cluttered with empty soda cans and chinese containers, warming the scents of stale oriental spices and the thick dregs of yesterday's coffee.

Not only is sleep unnecessary for the hybrid, he usually finds it difficult to achieve. Originally adapted to put fellow cadets in the barracks at ease by using routine, forcing himself to sleep at night quickly became a habit once drafted into GUN's forces, persisting even when no longer necessary.

When Team Dark was formed, they lived in on-site accommodation separate from the barracks, missions often coming in during the early hours of the morning. Rouge didn't seem to mind his odd timekeeping - whether he slept or not - but it seemed to become a routine of sanity rather than need, a process to keep him stable.

He's never managed to sleep anywhere but his own bed though; this is strange, and Shadow feels unnerved.

Enviously relaxed in another's house, Sonic had passed out around one in the morning waiting for another go at a mission on some racing game. Shadow didn't even notice until he tried to hand the controller back and was met with a light snore, the azure slumped back on the sofa with slow, even breathing.

It'd been weird to see the cocky smile replaced by a benign frown, his usual intensity dulled in the calmness of slumber. Shadow observed him in that state for some time, the tranquility of the normally chaotic creature a rare sight to behold at peace, and he'd almost smiled.

_Almost._

He'd turned off the television intending to finish his coffee, devour a chapter or two of his latest text, then retire to bed. It seems he managed neither though; half a mug of cold, black coffee remains in his usual white mug, and the book's dust cover is still wedged just two dozen pages from the beginning, the end of the first chapter.

Angling himself onto an elbow the room tilts, straightening to his usual perspective. Chill air brushes his squashed cheek fur, and it's in that moment Shadow realises he's been using the azure's thigh _as a pillow_.

Sonic hasn't moved an inch, cheek still pressed to a shoulder, forearm at rest on the arm of the sofa, though his other hand slides a little down Shadow's spine as he sits up, causing a strange sense of comfort in the displaced hybrid.

If only it could just be simple contact, the touch of another bring contentment, but it's never so easy in the Heat. 

Other senses wakening, he's bombarded with both their pheromones, scents dripping from their pores autonomously. He can smell Sonic's arousal, his own manhood stiffening in its sheath from prolonged pheromone exposure. Waves of hot excitement spread through Shadow's groin and dissipate in his thighs, aching _need_ already throbbing in his nethers.

His mouth rapidly drying, he glances at the pink tip nestled in Sonic's groin, its contrast to the surrounding fur only accentuating its allure. He takes a shaky breath and drinks Sonic in; firm abdominals, lithe form rippling with lean muscles beneath a shiny, sleek coat, all hiding his deliciously tight tailhole from view.

Shadow's breaths deepen at the sight, his skin flushing straight past infatuation pink to a rosy red of sexual tension. Then Sonic's semi-hard dick twitches of its own accord, and the ebon can only whimper as the bulbous tip of his own arousal slips free of its protective sheath.

_God have mercy…_

If his caretaker's God truly exists, He doesn't heed the hybrid's plea. He should feel a need to deal with the problem himself and pray for forgiveness, or preferably quash the desire with an ice-cold shower, the looming situation terminated before it can spiral out of control.

Except Shadow can't take his eyes off that twitching organ, mind filled with all the recent interactions he and Sonic have shared, and he finds clarity in them; contentment to exist, appreciation for relationships as a key cog of existence, and a happiness he's not felt before.

Whether it's pheromones, temporary insanity or something running much deeper, Shadow doesn't care to analyse. He wants to feel those things again, to be content and happy, to have a relationship that isn't professional. Even if it's a sin, _even_ if it's just for the Heat, he wants to feel these things so much his groin burns with impatience. 

_Sin be damned._

He wraps his arms around azure hips as he lowers back to his Heat Mate's lap, pausing when his muzzle is less than an inch from the azure's hardening manhood. Sonic doesn't react when hot breath grazes sensitive flesh, still oblivious in sleep.

Taking a nervous breath, hazy vision still fixed the pink appendage cushioned by azure fur, Shadow swallows his concerns and presses his snout deep into the fur between Sonic's legs. Drawing a deep breath, the hero's musk so potent he tastes sweet saltiness just through inhalation alone.

Dark hips buck in an instinctive response to the infatuating aroma, then a hiss erupts from tan lips; coarse upholstery sends unexpected bliss skittering along Shadow's swollen tip, dragging the rest of his hard member and his balls into the air, all with a single _schlick_.

Delicate orbs squashing between the sofa cushions and ebony skin, his hiss becomes a deep groan of stimulation. Sonic's stick reacts enthusiastically; his own manhood slides from its sheath, his bulbous head resting upon his abdomen as his sac drops, hanging over the head buried between his legs.

Shadow murrs softly, nuzzling the exposed sac as he takes lungfuls of the heated, sexual scent left by the azure's private sheath. Sharp salt and musk with a touch of sweat embody the smell of sex, and Shadow can feel his own balls constricting to pert rounds in response.

Drawn to his pulsing rod, Shadow nuzzles his engorged penis with a soft murr, the tang of precum already detectable. He lifts the heavy appendage off the azure's abdomen, disturbing the beads of seminal fluid dripping from his slit and leaving a sticky web of white between his abdomen and pulsing cock.

He licks at the messy azure fur, murrs rising in pitch when firm muscles quivers beneath the grooming, sure to get every last drop before he moves onto his rival's engorged dick. Sonic's reaction is an immediate, drowsy gasp of bliss, his hips arching into their contact with strong thighs quivering like jelly, enraptured by the ebon lapping the cum seeping from his sensitive slit.

"Hnng… Sh-Sh-haaaah!"

Hot lips engulfs his tip, Shadow suckling as he takes in inch after inch of throbbing cock into his mouth. The hero can only moan as his head drops to the backrest, hips continuing to buck until they're forced back to the couch. 

Sonic whimpers pitifully, but the touch of thick manhood at the back of Shadow's throat has the ebony's oesophagus spasming already. Licking across his still-leaking slit and swirling his tongue around the bulbous head, Shadow firmly holds his quivering hips to the cushions and bobs tantalisingly slow. 

He's too desperate for release to risk triggering his gag reflex, almost certain to end the night with both sides dissatisfied.

Own hips starting to shudder in excitement, he places a foot on the floor for better leverage and rutts against the sofa cushions. Grunts reverberate through the azure's thick rod as raw flesh meets coarse, woven upholstery, sending waves of unfettered pleasure deep into the muscles surrounding Shadow's groin and abdomen.

Gloved fingers entwine with dark quills, tugging gently on Shadow's spine bundles, but if its an attempt at removing the ebony from his cock it's half hearted at best. A tilt of his head and crimson orbs gaze up at the azure, who looks the very image of submissive; mouth agape to show short fangs and eyes tightly shut, ears drooped and bright burn red at the tips while his chest heaving with breathlessness. 

Unable to abstain after such a sight Shadow allows himself another frenzied rutt, grunting his pleasure directly through Sonic's shaft as he grinds his arousal into the dense fabric. 

_God_ he's ready to surrender to the intense pleasure of orgasm, but he forces himself to slow and recover some composure. He wants more than a dick in his mouth, he wants to be inside Sonic when he cums, and for that the azure needs to succumb first. 

With that in mind, he tightens his grip on the youngster's hips and hastens his pace, the result an erratic but rapid rhythm that allows Sonic's thick tip to stab the back of his throat numerous times.

Shadow finds himself near-choked on his solid rod, but when the sounds seem to rile his mate he willingly takes the abuse. For his part the azure surrenders, whimpering and writhing beneath the attention engulfed by ecstasy, his ebony lover rapidly bringing him to orgasm.

The azure's breath catching in his throat and a soft whine passing his lips all the warning the ebon gets before his mate plunges into climax. Reams of semen burst from his member, filling Shadow's mouth with salty seminal fluid.

Coating every surface and filling his oral cavity to maximum capacity, Shadow chokes on his excess load trying to dribble into his windpipe. Forced to let cum leak from the corner of his mouth, milky fluid soaks into the hybrid's chin and jaw, soiling his dark fur with opaque lines.

Balls emptied, Sonic shakily relaxes back to the sofa as he gasps for air, chest heaving as his grip lessens. Wanting as much seed as possible for lubricant, Shadow licks his shaft and tip clean thoroughly as the azure whimpers with overstimulation. 

"Mother Mobius, Shads…"

He releases the hero's member with a _pressurised pop_ and wastes no time taking hold of azure thighs and jerking Sonic forwards, who squeaks and grips his chair in surprise. Shadow's engorged member twitchea and leaks prematurely in response to his tone, so close to climax with the youngster's tight, pink tailhole clearly on display.

Emerald irises capture crimsons just as Sonic manages to raise to his elbows, the stink of sex so strong it's all Shadow can smell. Near sexual insanity, it takes great restraint not to fuck him immediately but instead remove his glove.

Opening his maw, he scrapes out the seminal fluid with two bare fingers, unable to he keep the smirk of satisfaction from his face as Sonic goes purple beneath his fur, his tired dick twitching lethargically in his lap. It's these emotive features the obsidian enjoys so much; seeing surrender to pleasure at his own hands - leaving him submissive and compliant to his rival's whims - is an intoxicating scenario.

_And he's all mine._

Leaning into him, Shadow captures his sweet lips with his own, savouring the taste of flesh and fur with a gentle murr. Sonic arches into him, moaning softly as soiled ebony fingers travel down his abdomen and groin to tease his pink pucker. 

The shudders that rip through his sphincter draw groans of arousal from the ebon, with an approving growl when the cerulean spreads his legs. Drawing an athletic leg over an obsidian hip, Shadow makes use of the available space and presses manhood to manhood, deepening their kiss.

Fingers dance across his rear passage a little longer, gentle whimpers and moans sexy enough to make him desire to prolong the attention. Once Sonic's outer rim is slick with lubricant, the ebon presses his finger harder to the resistant ring, and groans when his fingertip gets sucked inside by quivering his muscles. " _Jesus Christ,_ you're tight," 

His whisper is huskily and hot breath brushes the hero's ear, sending a wave of shudders through the azure's frame, and his finger is all but swallowed by the sphincter in response. Suddenly dawn into the moist cavern, Shadow struggles to remember how to breathe for a number of seconds, then pushes his finger deeper still once his composure returns.

He seems to be stumbling about blindfolded until Sonic's reaction convinces him he's found what the ebon had been searching for; his prostate. Every muscle in his body tenses, claws digging into gloves as he clutches at ebon shoulders, his usual gasp a grunted lungful of surprise.

A smirk creeps onto Shadow's muzzle, lost against the azure's soft peach lips. He keeps stimulating his spot as a deft finger begins to thrust into the male with speed, curling it for maximum effect. 

At first Sonic's anal walls spasm, but as he adjusts to the intrusion his fleshy insides become calmer. Only once he stops tensing with each thrust does Shadow add a second, pushing in firm rather than going faster, penetrating deep and hard.

Sonic breaks their kiss to gasp for air, a single extra finger making a big difference to how narrow the back passage feels, how much _tighter_ his backside seems to be. Shadow's thick rod weeps with the prospect of being inside him, of hitting his prostate with his own sensitive dick, of driving him past his limits with his thick rod alone.

A distinct _schlick_ of soaking thrusts echoes around the sparsely decorated living room, sound perverse as its amplified further by increasing speed. Clawed fingers penetrate deep and hard, no mercy for the hero mewling in overstimulation as his previously spent dick hardens painfully.

" _Chaos Almighty._ I'm d-dying here, Shads…"

Shadow tisks, masking his impatience by removing his fingers and wiping the remaining semen and anal juices on his swollen rod. Then he straightens up and leans forward just enough to press pulsing tip to shivering pucker. "You're pathetic." 

Azure ears fold back, though his breathless retort lacks sincerity, and is further undermined by the shudders wracking his frame. "And you're an ass. You know what I want? I want you to stop teasing and fuck me already."

A smirk curving the corner of his lips upwards, Shadow presses forwards more firmly, grunting with pleasure as his tip presses past the tight anal ring and slips into the cavity behind. 

Sonic can only gasp as his rival's dick forges further into his ass. His hold on ebon quills tightens, maw agape and back arching into his lover as he's slowly impaled on the hybrid's manhood, shivers flooding his body as a tan muzzle presses into his neck. 

The hybrid grunts in satisfaction and sheaths fully inside the hero's tailhole, pert sac slapping against cerulean ass-cheeks with an obscene _smack_ of skin.

"What a-abhorrent language, Faker…"

He presses in hard, drawing more pathetic mewls from his mate, and holds the younger hedgehog close as internal bands of muscle squeeze his bulging rod on every side. 

Some contractions are instinctively trying to push him out, but others shudder along Sonic's internal membranes in sheer bliss. All of it feels incredible for Shadow, a tingling euphoria along his entire length. Murring softly in contentment, he begins to groom the azure's neck and not distressed, Sonic tilts his chin to give the ebon better access to his delicate throat, murring happily while deft fingers skim across toned muscle and quills.

When he can't resist any more, Shadow begins to rock his hips into the azure, inhaling sharply as he's engulfed by sudden ecstasy. Slow pace and better lubrication has removed the uncomfortable friction entirely, and in its wake a sensual connection to his Heat Mate as they share an intimate moment.

Untangling a hand from an azure hip, he strokes a thumb across Sonic's cheekbone. Half-lidded jade gaze meets crimson and Shadow hastily commits the sight to memory, willing the moment to last a lifetime.

He rocks into the azure with gentle rhythm, the wet _schlick_ of intimacy and contented murrs of both hedgehogs all there is to hear. Leaning in for another taste of peach flesh, Shadow licks and nibbles his rival's lips greedily, enraptured by his sweet taste and delicate skin.

Sonic's lips part, and the ebon jerks in surprise as another tongue meets his, licking shyly at the muscular organ as heat radiates from his face. 

He tastes the azure's tongue, massaging the strong organ and exploring his maw, the taste and texture all erotic sensations new to the hybrid. It's a messy and peculiar process; cold, sharp fangs and moist, warm mouth, the sweet and salty taste of soda and chinese spices, and despite the stale undertone of morning breath he can't get enough.

Lifting an azure thigh, Shadow wraps it around his own waist before slipping the hand beneath Sonic's back, drawing their abdomens together as he starts to thrust faster. Ecstasy dances between them, moans lost within each other's mouths, sweat meshing blue and black into a seamless, single pelt at the groin.

Sonic wraps his other leg over the hybrid's hip and starts meeting him thrust for thrust, jarring Shadow's tip into his prostate every time their hips meet. Breaking the kiss and gasping for air he buries his muzzle in Shadow's shoulder, azure balls contracted to the base of his shaft as orgasm comes ever closer. 

"Haah. _Haaah. F-fuck_ , Shadow…"

A grunt of appreciation passes Shadow's lips, and upon hearing the hero curse he loses the last of his self-control. He holds the azure tight to his chest and pounds his ass as hard and fast as he can, fire raging through his groin with climax just seconds away.

" _Haaah! Y-yes!_ Fill me to the _brim_ , Sh-Shads."

Shadow grits his teeth and topples over the edge of a crushing orgasm, pulses of hot seed shooting into Sonic with a snarl. Coating his internal surfaces with semen, filling his anal cavity to capacity until it spills back past the ebon's dick, rolling down azure balls to splash to the floor.

The hero can only whimper at being filled with hot cum. Quickly seized by a second orgasm, his spent dick quivers lethargically as a trickle of seed seeps from his slit; two beads of cum roll down his tip, barely wetting his abdomen fur before he runs dry, reserves still spent from his first climax.

Gasping for breath, Shadow's chest heaves and his mouth hangs open, face still buried in the azure's neck as exhaustion replaces need.

Every emotion and sensation has drained out of him, leaving heavy contentment that weighs him down onto the hedgehog beneath.

Sonic's leg slips from the ebon's waist as his own climax falls away, fatigue ringing the edge of his vision. He embraces the tired bundle of quills that collapses into him, scratching behind a dark ear with deft fingers, and Shadow dozily tilts his head into the affection as he nuzzles the azure's neck and jaw.

Equal parts satiated and exhausted, they both drift back to sleep, ignorant of the mess they've made for a few blissful hours of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Six chapters of buffer left...


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shower thoughts can be the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: character mental instability, and mentions of past and current self-harm. Continue with caution.

**_MOBIAN ORIGINS_ **

_ All modern Mobians can be traced back to the populations living in village-like settlements in the New-Americas, discovered by Humanity in the late 1300s. The land was initially claimed as a part of the Human Empire before natives retaliated to deforestation and pollution with harsh, unyielding and often deadly prejudice. _

_ Having already incited their wrath, attempts to communicate with the natives were expectedly unsuccessful, only worsened by the language barrier and cultural differences. Bi-Peds, as the New American Natives came to be known, also wielded strange and frightening abilities humans had not seen before, and settlers could only flee the New World with a single, deceased specimen to present to those who questioned their withdrawal. _

_ When a noted New-American naturist described Bi-Peds as "naked beasts, males and females alike, whose dignity is only barely maintained by their thick pelt of dense, often dual-coated fur-" [ _ **_Geralde F. DePherone: Faced with Blasphemy 1307 AD_ ** _ ], Bi-Peds were deemed simple-minded and primitive, despite their inexplicably dangerous talents. _

_ In the early 1350s, the King of American Soil approved the New America Colonisation Plan. The capture, enslavement and execution of Bi-Peds to secure desired land became legal, and led to the death or loss of liberties of hundreds of thousands of Bi-Peds unfortunate enough to be on desired property, or have no ability user protecting their settlements. _

_ Natives responded aggressively, any township with a strong defence taking over smaller ones to protect their own, a seemingly inexhaustible array of species and magic defending pockets of Bi-Ped populations. Even once reduced to just five large settlements, Humanity was never able to eradicate the natives fully, and feuds for land continued for hundreds of years... _

_ [ _ **_An Echidna Anthology: The Discovery of Bi-Ped Chaotics in the New Americas]_ **

* * *

**_DAY 8_ **

**_[10:31; Living Room]_ **

Waking blearily for the second time that day, Shadow blinks away the tired haze and raises to an elbow, flattened fur stuck to his cheek by dried sweat. He's still in the living room, laid across the sofa with a pile of pillows beneath his head and one of Rouge's fluffy, decorative throws draped across his frame. 

For a moment he wonders if it were all a fevered Heat-Dream, but lifting the throw from his body reveals his groin fur to be matted with semen. The stench of dry spunk billows out and he recoils, lowering the material quickly at a scent more akin to rancid milk than the alluring musk of a mate.

It was no dream; they'd made love, that he is sure of, but Shadow had instigated it.

A slew of emotion washes over him; disgust, disgrace, embarrassment, all thick and fast and gone again in a moment, their stain firm in his consciousness. He'd had a chance to take himself out of the situation and lost it, thoughts of relieving the tension in the shower cast aside as easily as a used napkin, instead indulging in the addictively pleasurable sin of depravity.

Visions of the azure's flustered expression, eyes glazed with love and lust, don't help. The ebon closes his eyes and swallows, willing the intoxicating image away, only to feel nauseated as they expand to memory of his tight anal cavity, the taste of his supple lips, and the overwhelming desire to hold Sonic tight to his chest as they climaxed together.

He sits up slowly, half-lidded crimsons lost in an internal fog. The house is eerily silent, no sign of Sonic playing video games or messing with pans in the kitchen, not even the muffled patter of the shower upstairs. He's gone again, likely giving the ebony space to think, but silence is the last thing he wants right now.

_ 'I hope you enjoyed yourself.' _

Shadow's ears fold back as his neutral scowl deepens to one of distaste. Without dignifying the voice with an answer, he stands abruptly and heads upstairs, dumping the throw in a laundry basket on the way. 

_ 'You realise this is temporary, correct? That he intends to abandon you at the end of the Heat, once you've served your purpose? Doesn't it feel asinine to get so emotionally attached to someone using you solely for sexual gratification?' _

Stepping into the bathroom, he slams the door closed behind him with a foot. A twist of the shower dial later, the thrumbing of water shrouds Shadow in a veil of white noise, effectively drowning the voice out. 

Sighing in relief, he steps into the frosted glass box, cranks the dial, then presses his forehead to the chill tiles, focusing on the patter of water on skin. Chill drops soon reach a comfortable temperature, then a scalding heat, but Shadow stays beneath the spray, muscles twitching beneath his pelt with every burning drop.

He tightens his jaw and grits his teeth against the pain, each drop searing a path across his skin to leave an angry, red scald on his skin. Still he doesn't voice his discomfort, used to the self-inflicted torture; his body heals the abuse so fast it seems almost eager for pain, every burn recovered before another drop hits.

Allowing the self-loathing to dissolve in steaming spray, he waits for the usual apathy to take its place with his eyes closed, but it doesn't come; anxiety and nausea fall away to leave an anticipated void of emotion, but his rival's face then fills the void, and with it a wave of emotions Shadow isn't prepared to deal with.

_ A confident smirk on his peach muzzle, eyes that glisten with the joy of living. His carefree laugh and innocent honesty, happiness and good intentions radiating from his frame... _

Shadow opens his eyes tiredly, staring at the white tiles so close to his face they double up and blur. He wants to be irritated, angry, even  _ empty _ instead of having the flutter of undetermined origin fill his chest. 

_ Am I becoming fixated? Obsessed? Or is it normal to feel so utterly out of control of one's desires for a Heat Mate? _

Heat fosters desire not relationship, but he grasp at the straws blindly in hope of finding an excuse for the growing attachment. After all, fucking a willing male to relieve hormonal stressors was one thing, but it's entirely another to want more than sex. 

He's enjoying the azure's presence, his laugh and boundless optimism less irritating every day, but Shadow can't bring himself to accept infatuation as his own desire. To have a relationship with Sonic is fantasy, to think he'd want one in return asinine, a concept as indecent as the sordid relationship they'd already cultivated for the Heat.

Disregarding the hybrid's warped feelings, it was well known how infatuated the azure's female friend was with him. Every newspaper awaited the day the hero admitted his love for Amy Rose and dropped to a knee for her, a Resistance Sweetheart story sure to hit the front page of every magazine, but now the idea nauseates the hybrid.

_ It feels like more than sexual gratification, _ he tentatively allows himself to acknowledge.  _ And he said he felt something more himself… that we made love, not mindless sex. Perhaps- No. _

Hope always leads to heartbreak, and he can't willingly set himself up for failure, not again. Bile burns the base of his gullet and he cuts himself off prematurely, closing his eyes as his stomach swirls and swells in an emotional tide he's not expecting. They shift too rapidly to track, but the internal voice penetrates his mind with a crisp, irrefutable clarity.

_ 'Sin.'  _

The word echoes in his mind, tearing a gasp for air from Shadow's throat, fighting tears of frustration that burn his eyes. If only life could be simple, if  _ happiness _ could be simple, rather than a constant tug of war between his head and his heart, forcing him to choose between the morals of those who raised him, and the love of the Mobian currently in his life.

His breath catches in his lungs, eyes snapping open and an unyielding need to vomit crawls up this oesophagus.  _ Love..? _

Confusion itches behind Shadow's eyeballs, vision fuzzing over and mouth going dry. How can he love another male, someone he's been in a relationship with for only a week? He's submitted sin already, in the form of physical relations with another male, but to have fallen in love without even knowing it...

_ 'He doesn't love you, Shadow. You're just his dysfunctional whore, something to be used until the Heat burns out.' _

The white noise and burning pain isn't working, internal voice loud and clear above his sensory distractions. Biting back a shout of frustration, Shadow slowly bangs his head on the tiles as he thinks, desperate to determine something else he can do to keep the cruel voice at bay.

_ 'You aren't capable of love, only using those around you. Denying it only prolongs your suffering, and the suffering of those you abuse.' _

He can only come up with three, however; the usual coffee or studying, and now Sonic. 

_ 'When your affections go unrequited, when your psyche fractures beyond repair, how will you cope, Project? How thoroughly does a cheap imitation of life such as yourself need to shatter before his insufficiencies are truly revealed?' _

Not willing to descend any further into insanity, he shuts the water off. Shaking vigorously until merely damp, Shadow steps out of the shower, drapes a towel across his shoulders and heads to the kitchen, hoping Sonic has returned as the voice continues to mock his pitiful fortitude.

_ 'How far do you need to fall, "Ultimate Lifeform"?' _


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic helps.  
> Or at least tries to.  
> But progress is made.

**_MOBIAN ORIGINS (CONT.)_ **

_...Humanity took it upon itself to remove these creatures from the New-Americas. The assault on the natives and their lands spanned two centuries until 1706, when the President of Free New American Humanity overturned the New Americas Colonisation Plan and returned great swathes of land to its natives. _

_ These rights to land came with a new identity; Chaotics, named after the description of the island found floating in Bi-Ped territory a native simply called "Chaos". Despite actually trying to communicate it was a work of Chaos, their God, the word would be integrated into human language to mean disordered or unexplained.  _

_ Unfortunately, with Chaotics in forced service or slavery not released, and many more killed, this resulted in over half the Chaotic population without parents, working for Human masters. In line with their new identity, these "Shackled" individuals were redesignated "Tamed". _

_ Treatment varied wildly through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but little changed in regard to social standing; those already in service could be treated like untamed beasts, or cherished like children, by their caretakers.  _

_ Even free Chaotics were at risk of unlawful Taming, the black market for illegally procured Chaotics booming in the late 1800's as legal restrictions and safeguards on their health and care began to be passed as laws, including but not limited to: adequate food, bedding, medical & dental, and social freedoms; to go out, meet other Chaotics, and reproduce as they wish. _

_ The aspect of Chaotic biology that caused the most unrest through both centuries was Rutt, six months of sexual unrest and promiscuity every species was subjected to. Human Law struggled to deal with the ethical and social repercussions, resulting in convictions modern society would deem unjust for Mobian desires. _

_ Tamed Chaotics would be severely punished for being caught engaging in any form of sexual gratification, pre-marital relations and self-gratification included. These repercussions varied wildly depending on the caretaker, and could range from rationing of meals to sexual abuse by their owners, until all forms of abuse or torture of Chaotics was outlawed in the late 1800s. _

_ [ _ **_An Echidna Anthology: A Brief Overview of Chaotic/ Mobian Ownership & Etymology]_ **

* * *

**_DAY ??_ **

**_[Chuck's Bunker, approx. six years ago]_ **

_ Sonic usually loves the thrill of hanging out in his Uncle's Resistance bunker, a faux-trash pile in the heart of Robotropolis. It gives him a thrill, the satisfying buzz of adrenaline of hiding beneath the egg-shaped Human's hooked nose, listening in on his schemes and planning to thwart them at each turn. _

_ Except he's twitchy, unable to settle or nap as he usually would. It's the first day of the Heat, and Sonic has finally come of age. _

_ Trying to relax on Chuck's bunk, his leg bobs of its own volition, the incessant squeak of old metal joints whining through the silence. Sonic doesn't notice though, the hormones burning in his veins a heat he's unaccustomed to, and it's dominating his focus. _

_ It keeps him kinetically aroused; his muscles refuse to shut down, begging for a release he doesn't really understand. It's irritating as hell, almost as bad as having an itch trapped under a plaster cast; he can feel it, he's very aware of it, but he can't relieve it. _

_ "Struggling to keep yourself distracted, eh?"  _

_ Leg freezing mid-bob, Sonic cringes and his ears fold back in embarrassment. It feels stupid for someone who's been beating on Robotnik since being able to form sarcastic retorts to struggle with something as simple as keeping himself busy. "Sorry, Unc…" _

_ "No harm done, Sonny-Boy." The elder's tone is calm and reassuring, punctuated by a crisp, well-enunciated accent that eludes to his respected, pre-resistance status. "My hearing has been on its way out for nearly a decade, it's good to know it's not wholly gone yet." _

_ The azure chuckles and relaxes slightly, folding his arms behind his head and staring at the ceiling. Comfortable silence returns to the spy outpost until Chuck finally asks: "Would you like to talk about it? This year is your first Heat, correct?" _

_ "Yeah, and I guess? I dunno what talking will do, though." Sonic sighs and folds a leg over a knee, resisting the urge to start bobbing his leg again as he frowns at the dull grey, metal roof above. "I feel hot and itchy like, all over my body, but I can't figure out how to scratch it..." _

_ Chuck hums in response, the short breaks in their conversation punctuated by rapid tapping as he works. "Sounds like the Heat alright. It'll get more potent as you age, and more specific for that itch, but every species of Mobian deals with the Heat. Long as you manage it properly, it'll pass without incident." _

_ As reassuring as it is to remember everyone has the same struggles, managing the weird itch isn't something he's learned how to do yet. He shifts to an elbow and peers down at his uncle, able only to see the elder's faded quill tips where he sits at the desk below his bed. "You're gonna have to teach me then, Unc."  _

_ He waits for the elder to lean back, removing his glasses and twitching his white moustache as their gazes meet. Sonic can feel the worry he's trying to keep from his features tighten the edges of his smile, and tries to ignore Chuck's reflection of his anxiety. "I… I don't really know how to manage it yet…" _

_ "Ah," the elder comments, some of the depth of his tone lost in surprise. "Of course. You'd have been too young, while in foster care…"  _

_ The silence that passes is less relaxed, tense undertones setting Sonic's quills on edge until Chuck clears his throat, replacing his glasses with care before pushing his chair away from the desk. Leaning back, he folds his arms across his chest and smiles reassuringly at his ward. _

_ "Well, there's no time like the present, Sonny. What're you curious about?" _

oOoOo

**_DAY 8_ **

**_[12:23; Kitchenette]_ **

In the revealing light of day, Shadow has shut down again, not even holding eye contact with the azure after their last encounter. He speaks in single-word replies and grunts, and had to be coaxed out of the study with freshly-bought fruit scones, jam and cream, as well as a fresh pot of coffee.

Now he sits silently at the breakfast bar, head downcast, refusing to engage in conversation, and to say Sonic isn't worried would be a lie; the ebon is a hedgehog of few words, but not this few, and to not actively make coffee?

No, something's got him tied in gnarly knots, but if he  _ won't talk, _ what's a hedgehog to do? Then an idea comes to mind, one Sonic is absurdly proud off, and the azure blurts it out before he can think it through. "I know! Twenty Questions!"

Startled, Shadow drops his scone back to his plate with a dull  _ thud _ , surprise evident in his features for mere seconds before he scowls, dark ears folded back. Under those scrutinizing crimsons Sonic chagrins, a sheepish smile of apology on his face as his own ears fold down.

The ebon retrieves his scone and regards it with a twisted jaw, discontent the toppings he'd slathered on have squished on the plate. With a sigh, he begins scooping up the mess with the flat if his knife. "What in God's name are you talking about?"

"Twenty Questions!" The hero repeats with as much exuberance as the first time, and when Shadow only raises a brow and bites his scone does he show his exasperation. "The dumb ice-breaker game? Used at parties to start up conversations between strangers by taking turns to ask questions you'd normally avoid?"

Bored rubies hold jades, unenthused to their very core. Sonic had hardly expected to see the same enthusiasm reflected back, but he waits with bated breath for the ebon's reply. Shadow leisurely chews his mouthful, and the azure is coiled tight with anticipation when he finally swallows. "I agree; It sounds idiotic."

All his energy flooding out at once, Sonic sags slightly in exasperated fatigue, waiting for the punchline. When the hybrid simply resumes his brunch his patience frays. "Seriously? I'm trying to help here, Shads. It's only a-"

"You're being intrusive," the ebon replies, not bothering to look up from his scone buttering. Sonic's quills itch to raise in confrontation and he has to force them to stay neutral, even as the hackles on his neck react to his tight tone. "So drop it, Faker."

Emitting a grunt of frustration Sonic turns his back on the hybrid. Running a hand through his quills to quell the bubble of annoyance forcing its way up his throat, he leans against a kitchen unit and sighs, hands braced on the tabletop. 

Ambient sounds ceasing, he glances back to see Shadow paused to regard him curiously. Whether it's irritation, an explosion of emotion associated with Heat hormones or something else entirely, Sonic's patience snaps entirely. "What?" 

His uncharacteristic scowl and the sharpness in his tone making ebon ears flicker to attention. "You don't have a patent on anger, and you're being difficult. I'm trying to help, to talk without it being weird, since you find this so difficult to talk about, but you just... throw it back in my face!"

Realising he lost his cool, the azure puffs out a breath and looks away, disappointed in his own poor emotional control. Silence burns between the hedgehogs, the incessant tapping of deft fingers on countertop the only interruption until it abruptly stops, and Sonic sighs tiredly.

"Sorry, I just…" Azure quills flex uncomfortably, and he swallows. "I'm not used to seeing those I care for suffer, and not knowing what to do..."

He steals a glance at his rival; glazed rubies stare blankly at a loaded scone, his own hands rested on the breakfast bar and a benign frown on his muzzle. Nausea swirls in Sonic's gut, a confusing confliction of concern and saddened affection, the young hedgehog drowning in unexpressed feelings he didn't expect to have.

Before the Heat, he'd already cared about his rival's health and well being, but eight days into their supposedly temporary relationship it's taken a step further without his conscious permission. Care has evolved into affection, lust simmered to an attraction, and primal need into-

Unable to keep a slight shake from his arms, he folds them across his chest instead, still watching the silent ebon. When Shadow does look up, the cerulean's heart skips a beat and his breath catches in his lungs, mind emptying of all thought beyond a persistent conclusion.

_ I'm falling in love, aren't I? _

"Shadow?" His voice is near a whisper, lower than he intended but still too loud for the quiet house. The ebon in question flinches as if in agreement, but he does maintain eye contact, encouraging Sonic to go on. "I know you find it uncomfortable, but… we should talk. Because I think… I want to-"

The hero can feel his muzzle heating and his ears lower in embarrassment, warmth touching their tips. Unaccustomed to the flush he looks away and rubs his muzzle, swallowing the lump in his throat as he finds it easier to address the fridge. "Because I… I want you to be comfortable, but you won't be if we don't talk, and I know…" 

He folds his arms again and puffs out a breath of frustration, catching Shadow's gaze with his own pleading emeralds. " _ Chaos, _ can we just talk? I can't bear to watch you deal all alone anymore, but I don't know how else to help."

Blinking in bewilderment, Shadow doesn't talk for a good few minutes, his muzzle twisted in obvious discomfort. When he responds with a nod, giddy little shift flutters through the azure's stomach and warms his chest.

_ Maybe this can actually work. _


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eeey, now we're talking.

**_MOBIAN ORIGINS (CONT+)_ **

_ Rights and freedoms for Tamed Chaotics are left unaltered until 1914; with the advent of World War I, Human women replace men in the factories as they're drafted to the frontline. Chaotics both Tamed and Employed (left to manage the home and raise children) rise to the challenge, gaining the respect of Humanity as a whole by completing tasks they were previously thought incapable of. _

_ When the war ends and men return to work, women reject the expectation they return home and begin campaigning for equal rights. At the same time, Chaotics begin to fight their own battle, with the two campaigns often interlocking and supporting one another, striving for equality. _

_ Securing the right to vote and some freedoms in 1918, women began to express themselves more freely, most notably the 'flapper' girls of the 1920's. Heavily criticised for exploring their sexual identity beyond the bounds of family influences, this loss of sexual inhibition is thought to be a reflection of Chaotic culture adopted during the joint campaign, but no evidence to confirm this speculation exists. _

_ For decades, focus remains on inclusive rights and laws for women, Chaotics who boosted the original strikes left to maintain the home and children, take surplus housekeeper, maid and househand roles, or remain out of the cities for work. _

_ On the advent of World War II, once again the slack was taken up by women, but as more are permitted to join the war effort, factories employ Chaotics to fill the seats. Given a taste of freedom, the Tamed refuse to return home, and Free Chaotics began to imitate the female Human Suffragettes; chaining themselves to factories and picketing businesses that discriminated against them. _

_ The uproar caused was a major setback for Tamed rights, with the general population going against the law to enact severe punishments on those who dared defy their caretaker. Free Chaotics began to 'kidnap' their kin to set them free of service, Human businesses would not serve any Chaotics at all, and New America sat on the verge of a civil war. _

_ It would be almost 1948 before owning Tamed Chaotics would be made illegal, the entirety of their people finally released from servitude. Parties lined the streets, women wept, and stolen children could return home, though utility segregation would not end for a further twenty years. _

_ Historical remnants of segregation still exist in old cities. Station Square maintains separate Quarters, but while businesses tend towards their own sector there are no no strict boundaries regarding tenancy or business ownership. _

_ Animosity between Humans and Chaotics remains potent some fifty years later, and is expected to persist for generations to come; despite these pivotal shifts in attitude speciesism is still rife in both rural and metropolitan New America states. _

**_[An Echidna Anthology: Chaotics Rights; Difficult Beginnings]_ **

* * *

**_DAY 8_ **

**_[15:06; Nature's Point]_ **

It's a warm, spring afternoon in Station Square. Shadow's favourite spot on the outskirts is bathed in weak sunlight, the perfect temperature for the furred hedgehogs that skid to a halt beside a single tree on the summit of Nature's Point.

They're both panting, fur moist with sweat after a race through the Great Mobian Desert. An open-mouthed smirk shines through Sonic's gasps for breath before he doubles over, head hung and palms on knees as his chest catches up with the rest of his body, muscles aquiver in exhaustion.

"Nice," he comments breathlessly, stealing a glance to his equally-winded rival. Jade irises catch rubied gaze half-lidded with fatigue, Shadow heaving for breath, and Sonic makes an 'o' with his finger and thumb. 

He straightens slowly, taking care not to overtax his tired back with a pained smirk. "Best… cardio I've had… in months."

Shadow grunts an acknowledgement and backs up against the tree, using the study trunk to lower his fatigued body unceremoniously to the ground. The run had been his idea; an emotional management method he's used since his youth, finding fatigue both an anxiety defeater and a focusing tool.

Two things he needed to entertain talking about a difficult topic, and Sonic's never turned down a race in his life. They're a good match in that regard.

Closing his eyes, Shadow rests a forearm on a bent knee and leans his head back against the bark, own maw partially open to suck in breath. Sonic can see his calves and thighs shivering like his own, the simmering heat of exercise burning beneath ebon thick pelt, and his legs suddenly feel heavy as well.

A little less stiff, the azure settles gracefully against the tree, overlooking the city with quills brushing up against Shadow's lightly. Half-lidded emeralds unfocus, fuzzing the colours of the cityscape into one mesh of greys and greens, and for half an hour they stay silent. It's peaceful as they enjoy each other's company, regaining their breath until the burn in their bodies is little more than a dull ache.

"The Professor was a strict Christian," the hybrid finally speaks when the flush has left his cheeks, eyes still closed as he reclines against the tree. "Are you acquainted with Christian practices?"

Sonic tilts his head to regard the ebon, the calm on his face and the slow, deep moves of his chest. He looks unshakable with that same old neutrality on his lips, but tension still floods from his pores and sits tight in his muscles, if you knew his cues.

Regardless of that and all besides, he's.. handsome; sharp jawline and defined features, well kept fur and claws, quills groomed into neat-

His head tilting towards Sonic, crimson orbs flutter open to meet emeralds unexpectedly, and realising he's been staring in silence for a few minutes Sonic flushes an immediate pink. Caught out and on the stop, he does what comes most natural  _ other  _ than running his feet - running his mouth.

"What? Oh, right. Christians. I mean… Sort of?" He scratches behind an ear, unintentionally baring his fangs in a strained smile. "I know some are more forgiving than others, but that some are still real strict... Oh! And that Uncle Chuck said his Grandpa worked for a nice couple back in the '40's, but… Well, that's it…"

Thankfully, Shadow seems too drained to tease him about the flush beneath his fur. The ebon presses his lips together and casts his eyes back to the city, to the neverending life and noise they'd left far enough away to mute entirely. For a while Sonic continues to gaze at him, but eventually follows his gaze to the city, watching the few, ant-sized cars seeming to shuffle along the outer ring-road.

Beside him, his rival takes a deep breath. "At the time I was created, all of the scientists on the ARK were devout Christians of some sort. Their way was the  _ correct _ way, and that was all I needed to know, so Chaoticism was never mentioned."

Sonic fights the urge to look at him in case it put him on edge, an azure ear turning to focus instead. Shadow never discusses his past, so the azure feels privileged in that moment, highly aware of not disrespecting the elder or his memories should it result in clamming up again. 

"Huh. It was common, then?"

A slight nod of affirmation. "Much of the Western world identified as Christian on Earth, and the ARK was built by New American Humans, so it makes logical sense that they'd be the same religion."

Shadow folds his other arms atop the first and rests his chin on a forearm, staring off into the distance with an emotionless detachment. "I was raised in kind. An experiment in itself, most likely. Professor Robotnik believed the debauchery of Mobians was due to upbringing and acceptance of promiscuity, solely exposure in childhood. He mayhap expected faultless purity, and I did not meet expectations."

"Purity..?" A genuine question, because it isn't an attribute he's heard before, and Shadow snorts.

"Innocence of mind and soul; to be kind, honest and faithful, to not harm others or covet what they possess, to respect those who deserve reverence." He takes another deep breath, and puffs it out his nose abruptly. "If that was all, I'd have conformed with ease, but it branched into bodily sins." 

Darkened rubies close slowly, almost in resignation, and he sighs deeply. "Sexual desire; when it should be felt, who it should be for, how it should be in and out of marriage. I didn't know birth control existed until Rouge explained why she took a pill every day; the Professor didn't approve, so left me uninformed to preserve my spirituality."

The azure's mouth twists in cold humour. "That's kind of dumb. I suppose he wouldn't approve of a lot of the things we've done, huh?"

"Basically," Shadow replies, eyes cracking open to stare across the city again. "The Professor was my role model. Not a father figure, but certainly a form of Guardian, as he was to Maria. To accept what we have done, what I permitted to occur… well, it tarnishes his memory, even voids my respect…"

Sonic frowns, but the ebon carries on before he can add his own opinion. "Additionally, any form of sexual behaviour motivated by pleasure - genital stimulation alone or coupled, vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, oral stimulation - was forbidden until marriage, and even then motivation should be initially in reproduction. To do otherwise was sin."

"Jeez," the cerulean breathes, and Shadow finally glances back at him. "That's a lot more than I thought. No masturbation or sexual stuff before marriage, sure. Humans are hot on commitment. But being penalized for  _ enjoy _ ing sex…"

Shrugging slightly, the hybrid goes silent as Sonic gets lost in his own thoughts, and how open and easy his own sexual awakening had been. He's not really thought about how difficult it might've been for Mobians in the past, forced to abide by Human standards, but here's a living example of what his Uncle Chuck most likely had to contend with.

It's then he realises how little he still knows about Shadow's past; he'd regaled the details like facts in a textbook, little of his emotional involvement and no actual memories included. It doesn't feel like a slight though, not after struggled to divulge just the circumstances. 

Sonic isn't heartless enough to demand specifics on the back of that, possibly not ever. If Shadow doesn't wish to share any particulars, it's hardly his business. 

Unless it tears the hedgehog apart from the inside. Then it becomes his business...

"I'm sorry," is all he can say, inadequate even as it leaves his mouth. Shadow snorts humourlessly, dark ears pressing back to his skull as eyes vague with nondescript exhaustion stare at the cityscape. Wishing he had more to say in comfort, Sonic does the only other thing that comes to mind and scoots closer, just enough for theirs fur to mesh and tickle each other's skin. 

"I know there's nothing I could've done, not being born and all, but…" When he still doesn't look over, Sonic's ears fold as well, and he places a hand on the ebon's forearm. "I'm still sorry that you went through it, Shadow." 

Fiery crimsons glance first to his hands, and then as a sidelong glance to his emotive emeralds, eyes still shielded with heavy lids and an exhaustion that transcends physical malaise. He looks tired of life itself, of dealing with complications like this one, and sorrow pools in Sonic's stomach.

The hero moves before his brain catches up; peach lips abruptly capture tan and jades flutter closed, even as his head screams Shadow isn't emotionally ready to deal with another curveball just yet. But to his mind's surprise and his heart's joy, he feels the ebony's soft lips in motion against his own, and a murmur of contentment passes Sonic's lips.

Allowing rationality to take over, Sonic keeps their kiss short, breaking contact long before either of them is breathless. Azure cheeks burn with a slight flush in echo of his embarrassment, added to by intimacy. While Shadow isn't discoloured after such a short kiss he looks less dazed (ignoring a slight part of the lips) and more focused on the present.

"Shads, I-" 

Suddenly fearful of scaring the hybrid off pushing too hard, Sonic swallows his confession to absently stroke his fingers through tense striped headquills. Soothing for them both, Shadow leans into his affection in an instinctively adorable reflex that brings an enamoured smile to his peach muzzle.

"So, how 'bout I tell you what  _ Mobians _ believe?"


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffee and Chaotic conversation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a 42% I'm a dofus and accidently missed a chapter, but also a 58% chance I merged two chapters and forgot.
> 
> Either way, the story still makes sense. So; onwards!
> 
> [Ps: there's only one chapter of the buffer left, then I have to write new things. Please be kind to my poor schedule keeping of weekly updates!]

**_MOBIANKIND_ **

_synonyms: new america natives; bi-peds; chaotics._

_Synonymous with the North America Native word for Earth - "Mobius" - Mobiankind or 'Mobian' is the modern term for their descendants. Species is dictated as a denomination of "Mobian", and all known denominations have proved to be similar genetically, thus creating their own Taxa._

_The cause of Mobian development from primitives is widely speculated, yet with no definitive proof an origin cannot be recorded in text. Most common of the citations for evolution in all Mobiankind are:_

  * _Natural Selection_


  * _Human stress: proximity; adaptive; habitat; extinction; deforestation; colonisation_


  * _Human influences: selective breeding; experimentation; feral beastiality_


  * _Earthly influences: cyclic climate changes; resource scarcity; mate scarcity_


  * _Extraterrestrial influences: solar flares; sun spots; alien intervention/ supplementation_



_Mobians are bipedal variations of primitive animal species found in nature, with some species-specific appendages (such as extra tails) or adaptations (an opposable tail). Heigh can vary wildly, but ninety percent of adult Mobians are less than three feet, five inches, the females clothed and males usually 'in the fur', only wearing gloves and shoes._

_As a whole, Mobo sapiens are more robust than Homo sapiens, possessing additional attributes including (but not limited to)[especially];_

  * _high bone density_


  * _efficient respiratory system [hedgehogs]_


  * _efficient circulatory system_


  * _high muscle density [echidna/feline]_


  * _increased tendon flexibility [feline]_


  * _advanced healing_


  * _increased olfactory sensitivity_


  * _Increased auditory sensitivity_


  * _increased grayscale vision [canines; felines]_


  * _superior balance [tailed species]_



_Species-specific adaptations, such as tolerance of G-Forces (hedgehog), and the gift of flight (notably: Miles Prower, vulpine; winged species) are varied and common, and can be found at the end of this textbook._ **_[Appendix: Pg4-17]_ **

**_[An Echidna Anthology: Mobiankind; Attributes, Characteristics and Specialisations Overview]_ **

**_Special thanks:_ ** _Professor Von Schlemmer_

_(University of Spagonia; Chaos Energy Researcher)_

* * *

**_DAY 8_ **

**_[16:34; Café Cappuccino, Station Square]_ **

The table they chose last time already occupied, Shadow settles into a booth right at the back of the store, a nook of privacy he actually prefers after a while; the surrounding walls insulate against the ambient sounds of chatter, and the _clink_ of spoons on cups minimised to near nothing.

Hissing coffee machines create a relaxing, ambient white noise from the other end of the shop, and Shadow closes his eyes and sits back, allowing the low hum to clear his mind. He's out of sight here, able to spend some time uncoiling muscles and soothing out tension without concern for who his presence may upset.

His recent conversation with Sonic had been very cautious, the hybrid omitting any personal details regarding experiences, coping strategies and lewd thoughts. The hero seems relatively vanilla when it comes to desire itself, doing what felt right rather than what he preferred, with each interaction new experiences for them both.

Shadow's thoughts haven't been so innocent, but doesn't want to freak him azure out by getting too deep too fast. Even as a large portion of his psyche rebels against these new and sinful desires, there's an equally large portion begging him to listen now, to accept what Sonic believes and discard what the Professor drilled in from creation, to accept his true, Mobian biology unconditionally.

_If only it could be so simple._

Lifelong beliefs and habits are hard to throw away, that he's already discovered. It's taken years to put Maria's death to rest, even more to come to terms with Gerald's deceptive memories. The realisation he'd instilled species-inappropriate Human beliefs and never acknowledged his flawed logic, or tried to correct it for Shadow's health, is disheartening.

Being right was more important than being a good caregiver, which meant any number of possibilities for treatment, even a cure for Maria's illness, could have been passed over for him to remain 'correct'. That's more troubling, and if were true the laws of time and space themselves wouldn't keep Shadow from returning and beating the shit out of the man.

Every day his respect for the Professor slips a little more, every day he cares a little less. Assuming it was the Heat driving him towards Sonic the ebon hadn't been too concerned, but now the shift feels more substantial; just like everyone else, the man was fundamentally flawed, and it stings to think his loyalty has been displaced so long.

"There we go; tall filter with a pump of caramel." 

Heavy lids crack open as Sonic places a mug down, and Shadow pulls himself fully upright as the azure slips into the seat opposite with a humoured sigh. "You might have to order next time though; Paul put our drinks on the house again! Chaos, how he turns a profit is beyond me..."

Shadow snorts in amusement and takes a sip, the aftertaste of sweet caramel a pleasant contrast to the bitter filter coffee. Unperturbed by the heat he takes a long drink, drinking a third of it in one drag and returning mug to saucer with a lick of the lips before nudging his memory. "Chaoticism."

Humming through his mouthful, Sonic places his own tall latte glass down and swallows, wiping the foam from his lip with a thumb. "Right. So I'll spare the religion you'll probably read and go straight to what I was taught about Chaos energy."

Striped quills bob with a slow nod. The ebon takes a smaller sip while Sonic unwraps a couple of sugar packets and dumps them in his latte. "So, the _most_ important thing to remember when you think of Chaoticism is that Chaos the deity is selfish, and all He's done for Mobius pure self-preservation."

The ebon raises brow. "Isn't that blasphemy?"

"If He didn't freely admit to it? Sure." He pauses to sip the sweetened milky coffee, looks satisfied and places the spoon down on the saucer. "But if you ask any Echidna they'll tell you the same; Chaos is only interested in preserving the raw Chaos energy flow on Mobius to keep himself alive, and all he's done has been to that end."

Thinking for a moment, Shadow frowns as he sips his coffee, comparing that headcanon to what he knew of Chaos energy as a whole. "Then the Chaos Emeralds and the Master exist to maintain raw Chaos energy, not to augment those loyal to Him?"

"Easy to understand, right?" Resting his forearms on the table, Sonic leans forwards a little. "When He came into being, He had to cycle Order through Himself to make Chaos. Tiring of the process, bored simply existing to stay alive, He made Mobius, just soil and sky to filter Order into Chaos, and so He is maintained without effort.

"Though, as I'm sure you can guess, Chaos isn't a stable thing. It leans towards Order by default, and in doing so began to create things of its own; plants and microbes, rocks, sand and grasses, and beyond Chaos' control these started to evolve. Humans are from Chaos turning to Order inside apes, locking it away from Chaos' use, starving Him."

Able to guess the next part, Shadow leans back and folds his arms over his chest. "So He created the Master and its Servers, increasing the flow of raw Chaos once more… were Mobians accidental like Humans, or merely another manner to process the energy He required to survive?"

"Energy processing," he clarifies after swallowing, and rests his forearm back on the table. "He took animals without Order locked inside them, all of those besides Humans and marine mammals, and added Chaos energy. All of Mobiankind, each and every species that exists today, are descended from those creatures."

"Then our ability to access Chaos energy ourselves is no more than an unintentional side effect?" The azure nods, and a grimace twists Shadow's muzzle. "I still cannot determine how any of this is relevant to Mobian culture regarding the Heat. How does a month of poorly controlled lust assist raw Chaos- 

He pauses as a cog clicks into place. "...Ah."

Sonic chuckles. "Yeah. More kids, more Mobians to sift the energy through and more Chaos energy at His disposal. Chaos puts the drive for sex there and condenses it to a month, maximising the chance of pregnancy, except it wasn't the best experience for females, bad enough some even killed suitors to avoid it. So the last step was making it enjoyable."

Puffing out a breath, the ebon shakes his head a little in disbelief. "Your deity granted you pleasure, rather than declaring it a test of character."

"Yup," Sonic replies offhandedly as he picks up his mug. "And once there were a ton of us? I guess He left it enjoyable to keep numbers up, but He did make _other_ things pleasurable… which made not having kits, or taking a Heat Mate, more pleasant."

After a brief pause, the azure shrugs a little. "That's kind of it; He made the Heat almost overwhelming, sexual contact nigh unavoidable with pheromones, and sex itself so pleasurable we crave it. If that's what He wants, why wouldn't we enjoy it?"

Shadow frowns at his coffee, unable to deny how much sense it makes: Heat is difficult to weather without sexual contact because abstinence is not what God intended; Mobians do right by their God by observing and enjoying what he's given them, even if it was through selfish motivations.

_Being a Mobian, should I not do the same?_

"Hey Shads?" He glances up to an uncomfortable looking Sonic, unusually twitching in his seat, and the ebon wonders if he should be allowed caffeine. 

"I was thinking, maybe… we might… if you _wanted_ to try and…" 

Cerulean ears fold back and he looks away, lids lowered as an emotion Shadow can't quite place glistens within jade orbs. His disappointment in his tone is as obvious as the resignation in the heavy sigh that follows, though. "Never mind. I'm kinda done, though. Wanna go home and get your butt kicked at video games some more?"

The ebon nods and stands, but Sonic failing to ask him something twice now doesn't escape Shadow's notice. He's anxious about something, and its must be troubling him, to have attempted to voice it twice already, but...

_What on Earth would make Sonic the Hedgehog nervous?_


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow grows some more balls, while Sonic seems to be mellowing..?  
> Hmm...

**_CHAOS [ENERGY]_ **

_...another common point of contention is Chaos energy, the unseen force present in variable amounts in every Mobian. Skeptics still deny the force exists, citing Chaos Ability as tribal sorcery, while others believe it is a gift from God to convince Humanity that Mobians are as equals. _

_ Regardless of these opinions, Chaos is a detectable, traceable and basely malleable force that, using a variety of intricate pieces of equipment, can also be manipulated, inhibited and quantified. It is sewn into the cells of all Mobiankind, should be treated with the same respect as other volatile sources of energy, and any misuse by Mobian- or Humankind should be reported to the police immediately. _

_ Perhaps the most notable application of Chaos in modern history is Project Shadow, an initiative of the Guardian Unit of Nations that catapulted the New Americas to the forefront of modern medicine.  _

_ Using the sterile environment of Space Colony ARK, Professor Gerald Robotnik pioneered the creation of countless vaccines, advanced gene therapy by decades and discovered a multitude of new genetic markers while overseeing the project, even if its objectives are veiled in secrecy to this day. _

_ Official reports redacted, all those aboard the ARK destroyed by the creature they created - a child included - and the sole survivor deceased, its existence was only recently confirmed, in 2001. A black, hedgehog-esque creature mistaken for Mobian hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, committed a heist, leading to his temporary incarceration. _

_ Despite apparent initial loyalty to the maniacal genius Doctor Eggman (interestingly, a descendent of Professor Robotnik), Project Shadow now often assists the Mobian hero against said Doctor, and has been employed by GUN for almost a decade [circa 2016]. Handled directly by the Commander in Chief Abraham Towers, he asserts it is "effectively managed by one of GUN's elite agents" and is "of no significant danger to the general population". [A. Towers; 2016] _

_ Skeptics still push for the project to be terminated, though no appeal has garnered the level interest attention required to engage the President; Project Shadow continues to assist GUN on assignments. _

* * *

**_DAY 9_ **

**_[06:49; Kitchen]_ **

Taunted by vivid, quite lewd depictions of the ebon towering over him, cock just millimetres from his quivering anus or brushing his waiting lips, Sonic can't sleep. He's tried every sleeping position he can think of, and a cold shower, but even with Heat tempered his blood still burns beneath his pelt. 

It's a new level of physical arousal he's not used to, an unyielding and frankly infuriating itch he can't seem to scratch, but not knowing what precisely is causing the sensations isn't helpful. Heat he's used to now, but this? Taking a Heat Mate is supposed to lessen urges, and the Reversal isn't for twelve days yet, so why does he feel so… twitchy?

Then the scent of burnt sugar caresses his nostrils, and Sonic curses under his breath before flipping the overdone pancake with a flourish, watching it sizzle with resigned disappointment. That's two for two now; if he keeps this up, his plate will just be burnt discs, so Shadow gets the good ones.

_ Focus, Sonic. _

Except he can't, that odd sensation still crawling up his arms and legs, niggling at his attention span. His mind wanders back to delicious dreams - Shadow on his back, thighs open and gazing expectantly with lust in his eyes, the unmistakable pink hue of need on his cheeks - and his lips dry with desire.

_...spreading his legs further, Sonic leans over his ebon lover for a kiss, capturing tan lips as his swollen tip brushes against Shadow's tight pucker, the hybrid's moan lost in the hero's maw as he licks and nibbles soft flesh. Shivers wrack his body in waves, dark claws clutching at azure quills and a buttock, and bliss overtakes Sonic's senses as he buries himself deep within- _

Smoke this time.  _ Actual smoke. _ With a startled yelp and a flurry of panicked movement, Sonic hauls the pan from the stove and dumps it in the sink, and as the pan  _ continues  _ to smoke he turns the tap on. The saucepan erupts into steam as cold water hits heated metal, soaking the charred disc to a soggy mess, and moments later the kitchen is quiet again.

Sonic covers his face with a hand, dragging it down his muzzle and grasping at his jaw. Wide emeralds unfocus as he stares at the still-steaming carnage of what was supposed to be breakfast, then turns off the stove with a defeated sigh.

He's no culinary artisan, but he's never burned a pancake before, and the event is oddly jarring.  _ What in Chaos name is wrong with me? _

A vague recollection of Chuck explaining emotional potency - how emotional dependence amplified in Heat, Mated couples finding a reinvigorated fire to their relationship if they're compatible - surfaces, and he immediately casts the explanation aside in embarrassment, filing it as 'N' for 'nopenopenope'.

_ Shadow and I aren't… Mated. Just Heat Mates.  _

The terms send flutters of giddy  _ hope _ through his chest. Maybe it's his biological clock ticking, the internal rhythm of parenthood deciding he's ready to settle? Then again, how would fantasizing about his Heat Mate lead to realising he's made a mistake and finding an actual mate?

It'd be obvious to a near-sighted mole rat these are all excuses, by this point. Sonic's pulling all the straws in desperate need of another outcome, but they're all the same length because there  _ aren't any others to pick; _ the answer is staring him in the face and the hero's almost afraid to accept it.

Heat Mate is one thing, a temporary agreement to enjoy the Heat, rather than suffer through alone. If these dumb giddy feelings, explicit fantasies and… affections beyond sexual need  _ are  _ his own desires, the dynamic he shares with Shadow is about to change  _ very _ dramatically, for better or worse.

_ I always thought it would be Amy _ … 

Sure, she was a bit much to handle at times, but she'd grown a lot in the last few years and Sonic can tell she's pretty: bright eyes; beautiful pink hue; looks after herself; he'd be lucky to have her. And he'd always believed he'd drop to his knee and put a ring on her finger one day, like the romantic films she loved.

There was also truth to the fact he'd never fallen for her in the way she had for him; he can tell she's attractive but never really felt it, desire for her only ever prevalent during previous Heats. He'd thought that was normal until Rouge and Knuckles were all over each other,  _ all the time, _ after they got official.

_ And now I know why..? _

Sonic isn't sure, having had an infatuation with a certain squirrel in his youth, but in hindsight he's not entirely sure that wasn't based on character. Sally Acorn had the heart and mind of a resistance leader, and anyone who held themselves with her level of confidence was honestly too hot to ignore.

"I swear to God, if you burn my kitchen down-" 

Having not heard anyone enter, he rounds on the speaker with spatula raised only to falter under deep crimson curiosity, and huffs out a breath as a dark brow raises in question. 

"Of course I won't!" Sonic indignantly replies, nose raising to the ceiling as arms fold defiantly over his peach chest. "It was just a pancake, Shads. I figured since I'm up, I should make breakfast, but if you're worried about the kitchen-"

Shadow snorts and heads for the coffee machine. "By all means, finish your breakfast." He takes the clip off a bag of beans with measured care, pours a small amount onto the holder above the stained glass jug then seals them up again. "If you break anything, I'll charge it to our expenses account."

"That's not a company expense, Shads." 

The ebon stiffens beside him and Sonic waits for an explosion of irritation or snarky comment, but they never come; striped quills lower and coiled muscle unwinds in slow motion as Shadow stares at the coffee pot, and the cerulean is uncomfortable enough beside his unusual rationality to feel concerned for the ebon. "Shads..-?"

"What did you wish to ask me?"

The query abrupt and unexpected, Sonic's voice dies in his throat, words catching on membranes then lost to lungs once more. The same nerves that stayed his voice yesterday creep up on him again, the unstable feeling in his thighs and dizziness of his thoughts making him lean against a counter. "What… what d'ya mean? I didn't-"

A low growl accompanies the flattening of ebon ears, and Sonic's own follow suit immediately, his hackles rising slightly as sharp ruby irises bore into his very core. "Don't be obtuse, Faker. You tried to ask me something  _ twice _ \- once at Nature's Point, once in Café Cappuccino - then decided not to. What did you wish to know, and why did you change your mind on two separate occasions?"

Anxiety quickly morphs into the need to  _ run _ , driven to abandon the situation and hide as his muzzle heats in embarrassment. He scratches behind an ear and plasters on a fake smile, forced so wide he flashes short fangs. "Oh! That! That was… nothing. Really, I was just curious about… stuff. But it can wait! I should-"

He edges back towards the stove, motioning to it for emphasis, but before he can get stuck in again Shadow moves, pushing him from the counters to the clear, opposite wall with a palm to his chest. It's a firm but not overly aggressive suggestion of what he should do and Sonic doesn't fight it, maw drying out all over again beneath his rival's intense gaze.

"Once I can ignore," the ebon rumbles in a quiet tone, his calm edged with a touch of dominance. He traps the azure against the wall with his body, hips so close any movement would bring them into contact, palms pressed either side of the younger's head. "But twice? That piques my interest…"

They're almost exactly the same height, but Sonic somehow feels small in that moment, the ebon's muzzle so close, his voice so deep it resonates in his chest, the heat of his body just a breath away. Tiny and trapped like prey, it's all he can do to swallow the lump in his throat and recover his voice. "Sh-Shads, I don't think now's the-"

"There will never be a good time," Shadow growls close to his ear, sending a shiver down his spine as the azure curses his former confidence, his own words turned back on him. "Now, elaborate. Or do I have to coax it out of you..?"

Sharp teeth graze across delicate ear flesh, but as he instinctively shifts away from potential pain a strong hand grabs his jaw and forces him back, pinning his head in place. Shadow's expression remains that of curiosity rather than malevolence, though a definitive sign he's enjoying the control is a subtle quirk of his muzzle into a devious smirk.

"Where should I apply pressure," the hybrid muses out loud as Sonic shudders, hot breath skimming his ear, the ebon's proximity accompanied by the musk of early arousal warming his groin. Then he twists his wrist and exposes Sonic's neck, a soft whimper from the cerulean when short fangs graze across his delicate throat. "Here, perhaps?"

He stays silent, desperately trying to think of a way out without admitting to anything, but at the sting of canines puncturing flesh, Sonic's resolve cracks; he grips at the ebons wrist to take some pressure off his jaw, and anxious emeralds meet crimsons shining with triumph before he even admits defeat.

"Okay! Alright! I give! I give!" He pushes against Shadow's chest unintentionally meekly, already too drowned in pheromones to flip the archetypes. As the ebon's hold weakens on his throat Sonic takes a lungful of air, and though his windpipe was never truly restricted it refreshes his ability to think. 

Remembering what he's admitting to, he flushes pink beneath the peach of his muzzle and swallows hard in his rival's grip. "I was g-gonna ask… gonna ask if y-you… if we-" Shadow leans in just a little closer and imagining being Marked, his words finally tumble out. "Iwasgonnaaskyouout!"

Shadow pauses, then draws back again, his grasp on the azure weakening and brows furrowed in confusion. "Ask me out… where?"

Silence stretches between them, a second more akin to an hour as both hedgehogs stare blankly at one another. Then Sonic loses his composure and erupts into laughter, all his anxiety and the tension in his muscles dissolving in that moment, calming when he realises Shadow isn't laughing along.

The hybrid looks hurt, perhaps even angry with his ears folded flat and quills twitching behind him, but there's no fear in Sonic's affectionate gaze as he reaches to stroke the elder's muzzle. "No- Well, I mean  _ yes _ , we'd go places, but I meant.... I meant to ask if we could…  _ be together _ ."

"Be together," Shadow repeats the words blandly, still frowning as he releases Sonic's throat to catch the hand stroking his face, pulling it slightly away. "For sex, as Heat Mates..?"

At this point, the cerulean pouts a little and tries to free his wrist, though ultimately fails. "We're doing that already, Shads. And if… if that's what you want to do, that's fine too. But I meant  _ after _ the Heat is gone and everything's normal again… maybe we… could try us as a  _ couple. _ Not just… Heat Mates?"

His expression has so many layers, Sonic doesn't try to decipher it, but he manages to free his fingers to stroke the hybrid's muzzle again, jade irises locked to shimmering rubies. "Look; I'm not gonna force you into anything, but promise me we'll talk about your thoughts, bounce 'em off the Chaoticism stuff and see how you feel. Alright?"

Eventually, Shadow nods, but his ears fold back. "I apologise… I should have listened, rather than-"

Before he can finish, Sonic presses peach lips to tan and draws Shadow close, a hand lost in ebon quills and the other pulling him by the hip. The hybrid freezes to start with, but begins to uncoil as time passes, tight jaw relaxing into the kiss as he skims peach lips with his tongue, begging access to his azure lover's sweet maw.

Reclining against the wall, Sonic murrs softly when an ebon hand gets lost in cerulean quills, the other forearm braced beside the azure's head. Sonics lips finally part, his tongue immediately dominated; dark hips press firmly to blue, murmurs and grunts of pleasure from grinding into the azure with need lost in the hero's mouth.

Sonic shudders as his tip peeks from its sheath, a bead of precum matting ebon and azure fur where they mesh at the abdomen. Even as they come up for air Shadow continues to rock into the younger hedgehog, breaths deep and heavy, legs shaking in arousal and heat simmering beneath their pelts.

"I didn't mind…" the cerulean reassures his mate breathlessly, lightly rubbing their noses together in affection as a hand whispers through ebon fur. The shudder of muscle beneath the buzz of excitement, his voice taking a lustful, teasing tone. "And it was  _ hot _ , just waiting for you to pin me to the wall an-"

A low growl rumbles in Shadow's chest, and before Sonic can react beyond his ears folding uncertainly Shadow presses him to the wall with enthusiasm, devouring every inch of his mouth and tongue. The azure turns to putty as ebon claws sweep through his fur, then shivering and moaning softly as his lover leaves a trail of kisses down his jaw and neck.

With a shuddering gasp, Sonic's shaft and balls slip entirely free of his sheath. Raw tip compressed and ground by tireless ebony hips, he shivers and moans in pleasure, whimpering in burning arousal when Shadow's dick slips free with a passionate snarl as rutts and thrusts erratically.

Soft kisses become possessive licks and nips of delicate flesh, each one creating an explosion of ecstasy through his frame. Sonic wraps a leg over an obsidian hip and rocks into his lover's thrusts, amping up the unfettered pleasure as exposed rods grind between their cum-dampened groins.

Shadow's nips get braver as their arousal begins to peak, catching delicate throat flesh between teeth, dragging while careful not to break the skin, grunts resonating in his chest. They echo through Sonic's lithe frame, the hero arching into the wall with his hands buried in the ebon's quills, clutching at his spines as climax draws near.

His hips quiver erratically, leg held to Shadow's hip by the ebon himself in weakness, eyes closed tight as stars burst and burn behind their lids.

"Oh  _ Gods _ , Sh-Shadow! Slow d-down! I'm gonna-!"

Hoisted up by the thighs, Sonic squeaks in surprise as he's pulled from the ground and deposited with little care against the wall. Before he contemplates what's happening, legs around the ebon's waist, a thick, pulsating cock pushes unceremoniously past his tight pucker and buries to the hilt in his ass with single, fluid efficiency.

The azure gasps in surprise, the sudden intrusion a sharp discomfort already beginning to dull thanks to free-flowing pheromones. Sonic whines, tailhole pounded mercilessly from the start, his Heat Mate allowing no time to adjust as he repeatedly slams into the younger's prostate.

His back arches into the wall, arms splayed above his head as Shadow supports him entirely, fucked too hard to think straight.

A tight knot soon starts building in his groin, the first step towards orgasm thrumming beneath the skin, and he squeezes his eyes shut. Untempered gasps of pleasure erupt from his throat with every thrust, mouth open wide and chest heaving, body limp in his lover's firm grasp

"Haah. Sha- _ ah _ !  _ Haaaaah!" _

With a last gasp and silent scream, his balls tighten to the base of his rod as climax crashes down. Anal channel squeezes Shadow's thick girth as his balls empty, spurting waves of sticky cum all over their chests and abdomens, gluing ebon to azure while their bloods begins to simmer. 

Rhythmic, pulsing surges of muscle contraction milk the ebon for his entire load when his cock bursts seconds later. Milky seed fills the hero's tailhole to the brim, overflow dripping down his balls to the tiled floor.

Orgasmic bliss fading to a satiated afterglow, Sonic sinks into the obsidian hedgehog still supporting him, breaths heavily in his lover's neck as he slowly descends to Mobius from an exceptional high.

The comfort and pleasure of his Heat Mate is all he has, yet all he needs in that moment; Sonic doesn't want to lose any part of it, too contented to worry, adrift in a cocoon of safety, held by a lover he could never have foreseen.

Comfortable, blissful completeness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it.   
> That's the end of the buffer.  
> I meant to have another chapter written by now but life got hella real for a long minute.  
> So I'm afraid you'll just have to wait.
> 
> But did anyone else notice Shadow is 69 this year? Because we did, and there may be porn to celebrate at some point. 
> 
> Keep your eyes peeled.


	20. Author's Note: Ship Discord!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its been a while since I updated. Here's why, plus a link to a discord in the meantime.

Hey guys, long time no see huh?

Forgive this hot mess, I'm writing it fresh into AO3. Regardless, its been most of a year since I last updated this fic and while there are a number of reasons, I wish to apologise for the ubrupt end to updates without any warning or explanation. Truth be told, I ran out of buffer crossposting from fanfiction.net and lost motivation to write more, instead planning to revamp what I had first. As many authors can probably relate, I got sidetracked by a new project and entirely forgot to do so, but it'll be my 2021 project so stay tuned!

Second, I want to give you the more tangible reasons, but be aware this is a bit heavy. If conversations regarding conflict or mental health trigger you, scroll past this one. Now, onto the list:

  * My mental health tanked at the beginning of the year, around February. I don't write well when I'm depressed, so I took a hiatus from everything for a hot minute. That's when I stopped writing new HotM chapters.
  * I had a huge fall-out with someone I thought was a good friend and have been unable to reconsile, after being blocked everywhere, banned from their Discord and a mutual friend ignoring me. This was also mental health related and left me jaded.
  * This fic as it stands now seems to be a reminder of these emotions I'm still struggling to process without closure, as well as those associated with mental decline.
  * Covid. You can extrapolate that, I'm sure.



Finally, I want to post a link to a fairly new Discord another friend and I have started up. While it's predominantly Infidget-based, we're a small, friendly bunch who live solely to ship all couples. We're LGBTQ+ friendly, still small so pretty quiet but a close-knit bunch of artists, authors and avid readers who love cat photos and fawn over boys and girls in love.

https://discord.gg/gb6c8pwkBA

Once again, thanks a million for all the support you gave to this fic. Its numbers are still wild to me, and I hope to see you on the Discord. Please note it's an 18+ server and you won't have access to the entire server until we're sure of your age, to protect minors. See you there soon!


End file.
